EOS, My Life is in Your Hands
by crystalquirt
Summary: Fischler strikes again. This time his attempt to end world hunger backfires and endangers Global One, Thunderbird 5 and John Tracy.
1. Chapter 1

**EOS, My Life is in Your Hands**

 **By Crystalquirt**

 **Thunderbirds Are Go fanfic, I don't own anything or anyone.**

 **[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]**

* * *

 **1 Missed Games**

* * *

 **"Captain O'Bannon was due to arrive three minutes ago for your handball game."**

 **"Yes EOS, but Ridley called to say she would be late. Now she'll be here in about two hours."**

 **"That's very late. I thought there wasn't anything that could keep her from you - I mean playing with you - I mean being here to exercise with you, I mean . . ."**

 **EOS' lights turned red, but not from anger.**

 **"Yes EOS, she said I am a good handball teacher. She enjoys our games." John tried to help, "I didn't think A.I. like you could be embarrassed."**

 **"I'm not - What's happening on Global One that made her late?" EOS changes the subject.**

 **"A science ship in orbit near Global One has had some sort of emergency," John explained, "It's docking with Global One now. Ridley needed to stay and take care of it."**

 **"Why didn't we hear the distress call?"**

 **"They never sent one. It's strange too. Even after I ran active scans of the Scientists' ship's systems our sensors didn't detect anything wrong with the ship."**

 **"Global One doesn't do repairs," EOS said.**

 **"I'm sure it was something more than engine trouble, EOS. Ridley said she'd call if she needs anything."**

* * *

 **2 Fischler's Cure**

* * *

 **On Global One, Ridley watched the Science Ship dock. She was waiting for them at the airlock. When the airlock opened, she could hear a computer voice in the background repeating a warning.**

 **"Biolab seal integrity compromised. Self-Destruction in seventeen minutes unless corrected."**

 **The first scientist that appeared, a man, began talking immediately.**

 **"We have a problem - The tubes are leaking! We need your help to stop the leak - we can't even find a leak - but the computer is screaming about a leak!"**

 **"Wait, what tubes? I am not familiar with that term being any part of a spaceship." Ridley said.**

 **"They are not part of the ship. They are medical tubes that hold harmless organisms, a type of bacteria, or they were harmless. They have changed a teensy bit since being in orbit."**

 **A second man, looking nervous and a little embarrassed came in behind the first.**

 **"What do you mean, changed?" Ridley asked the first man.**

 **"Bringing them to space was an experiment. I thought the weightlessness and vacuum of space would complete the process to create a super growth stimulator and weed killer."**

 **"And now you've had a leak and your ship has automatically set Self-Destruct!"**

 **"Yes, it apparently has a failsafe that I didn't even know it had built into it. We tried to disable the self-destruct, but didn't have any luck."**

 **"How could you not know that about your own ship?"**

 **"It's kind of a rental. I don't have a spaceship of my own anymore."**

 **"Ouhhh!" Ridley grunted angrily, "Just what kind of organisms are they now?" Ridley asked.**

 **"Like nothing seen before by the human race! Another leap forward for Fischler Industries! They are of my own invention. We, here at Fischler Industries are always trying to solve the problems of Earth and this could end world hunger!"**

 **"Fischler, I remember that name. I've seen your name in several GDF reports and International Rescue told me about you!"**

 **"Yes, I've met them. I had a little trouble in the past and they show up whether I want them to or not. " Fischler tried to explain quickly.**

 **"The GDF had enough evidence to take away your space operations permit and yet, here you are - in space."**

 **"My work is important! I will feed millions as soon as I figure out what went wrong."**

 **"But since the Global Conflict of 2043," Ridley argued, "there have been many leaps forward in solving the world's hunger problems," Ridley pointed out.**

 **"But the problem still exists in a few corners of the world and Fischler Industries will solve the problem for everyone. My invention started out only a few weeks ago, as a mixture of simple plant growth stimulator, that I invented myself, patent pending, harmless bacteria, a little octopus DNA and just a bit of weed killer."**

 **"What happened?" Ridley asked urgently.**

 **"Worst thing! When the Microorganisms escaped, the experimental plants we had onboard turned into super-growing plants that have taken over the ship! I can't even get back to the laboratory to check on my little organisms! And the plants that were created, seem to be just a little carnivorous."**

 **"Carnivorous?" Ridley repeated.**

 **"And just one other little problem, one of my scientists has been killed. We called him Lucky, until now perhaps." Fischler said.**

 **"You call that a little problem?" Ridley repeated, shocked at his lack of concern.**

 **Fischler continued, "Of course he was killed through no fault of my own - the organisms got out of the tubes and ate through his suit and well, he died in just a few hours!"**

 **"Hours? Didn't you even try to get him help?"**

 **"I didn't think it was that bad, until, well - you know," Fischler admitted. "But that was how I knew to put them in quarantine. Once those little buggers get inside you, wow."**

 **"Wow is right! We can't let the plants or those organisms get on Global one!" Ridley said and then told her Second, "Seal off this area and go straight through decontamination!"**

 **Ridley's next-in-command, ran from the airlock area to follow her orders.**

 **Ridley continued, "We have to detach from your ship! Docking with Global One put all of us in danger too!"**

 **"We had to evacuate!" Fischler explained.**

 **"If you had told us what was happening we could have just shuttled you over and let it blow up by itself!"**

 **"No, we can't let it be destroyed!" Fischler insisted.**

 **"So, it's eating through other substances and already killed one man. What's keeping it contained now?" Ridley asked.**

 **"We closed the door to the lab," Fischler said, rather pathetically.**

 **"What is the door made of?" Ridley asked.**

 **"How should I know? Door material, I guess," Fischler said.**

 **"Biolab seal integrity compromised. Self-destruct in fourteen minutes unless corrected," said the computer voice coming from the ship.**

 **"Detach! Undock from that ship!" Ridley yelled into her comm, but nothing happened. Ridley yelled again, "Detach - that ship is going to blow in just minutes!"**

 **"I can't! The mechanism is jammed!" came the answer from the bridge. Ridley looked back at the airlock and there was a green tentacle poking its way in at the edge of the airlock, jamming the controls.**

 **"Then evacuate everyone from Global One. Give these idiots a shuttle of their own and keep them quarantined until they can be decontaminated!"**

 **"Yes, Sir!"**

 **"Idiots? You aren't calling me an idiot!" Fischler complained. Kinnear looked embarrassed then angrily at Fischler.**

 **Ridley took out her taser, set it to high and started a steady beam that she used to zap the green tentacle until it turned white hot and disintegrated.**

 **"International Rescue - John, I'm afraid I have a problem!" Ridley called.**

* * *

 **3 Evacuation**

* * *

 **Global One's officers and engineers ran out of the science ship, spilling into Global One's corridors on their way to the shuttles. Officers from all over Global One joined the others and the shuttles filled up fast.**

 **One GDF shuttle docked remotely on the other side of the corridor and the airlock opened.**

 **"Go! You two get on that shuttle! You will be in quarantine until this is over and you can be examined.**

 **"Quarantined? We don't need to be quarantined! It's not like I have any of the organisms on me!" Fischler said insistently.**

 **"Don't argue - get on that shuttle!"**

 **Ridley turned her back on Fischler expecting him to follow her orders, which he did with the strongly asserted help of his assistant, Kinnear and another GDF officer.**

 **Ridley called John and told him briefly what was happening.**

 **"FAB, Ridley - get everyone to Thunderbird 5. I have room for all of you and a decontamination room big enough for several of your crew at a time. EOS is already making arrangements to get everyone back to Earth."**

 **"FINE," Ridley said frowning. "The last Shuttle with Fischler and Mr. Kinnear has left. Please, John, help me save my ship."**

 **"Are you crazy? You stayed on board again!" John's mouth fell open, "Ridley - order one of the shuttles back and get on it!" John ordered.**

 **"I can't let these tiny microscopic organisms destroy my station!"**

 **"It's not your station! It belongs to the government, the GDF - and they can build another! It can be replaced, you can't." John tried to reason with her.**

 **"Would you let Thunderbird 5 be destroyed if the boot were on the other foot?" Ridley echoed her words from the last time she didn't evacuate with her crew.**

 **"John! I heard Ridley - Let me answer this time!" Scott interrupted, yelling into the comm, "All of us would save our ships if we could - if we could save our ship ourselves! BUT we wouldn't risk anyone else's lives just to save a ship! John can't be replaced!"**

 **"Too late Scott," John said, rubbing his eyes, "Ridley has already stayed on board, again - I don't know if I can do this! There won't be time!"**

 **"This isn't a matter of keeping the ships out of the way of a meteor - This time there is the chance of Fischer's bug contaminating you and Thunderbird 5! Besides the probability of being blown up!"**

 **"I know John can do it!" Ridley interrupted.**

 **Scott growled angrily, "John-NO! You can't do this! Those organisms turn plants into man-eating killers!"**

 **"I guess we'll dump the plants we have on Thunderbird 5. Too bad, I really liked Grace, you know? My Lily - she's even in bloom right now."**

 **Yelling, Scott said, "The plants aren't the only problem - Remember who made those organisms! No telling what else they might do if they get on board Thunderbird 5 - or you come in contact with them."**

 **Ignoring Scott, Ridley begged, "John, you pulled us through the last time!"**

 **Not ready to let it go, Scott yelled, "We were lucky last time that we didn't lose you, John and both space stations!"**

 **"Okay!" John said, "I'll bring Thunderbird 5 close to Global One and send the Mooring Claw out to grab the science ship."**

 **"And then what? You have only minutes left! Thunderbird 5 doesn't have the speed!"**

 **"Thunderbird 5 will pull that ship away from Global One. Seal that scientist ship off from the rest of Global One and set some charges at the airlock - be ready to blow the docking clamps!"**

 **"Right, but if I leave this area, all of Global One will have to be decontaminated."**

 **"It can't be helped now!" John yelled, "Just for once, do what I said!"**

 **"John! What are you thinking?" Scott yelled.**

 **"When I get some momentum behind that ship I'll let it go on its own and get Thunderbird 5 out of the way - hopefully before it explodes."**

 **"NO! That is a really bad idea! Have you seen the readings, John?" Scott interrupted.**

 **"I have to do something - Ridley is still on board and the shuttles are all gone."**

 **"Let her go for a space walk - that's how you met her, right? Then you can pick her up in space without having to go too close to Global One."**

 **"No way - you have to save Global One - save me - save my ship." Ridley interrupted.**

 **"I know - I know," John said.**

 **While John, Ridley, and Scott argued, John and EOS maneuvered Thunderbird 5 into place next to Global one.**

* * *

 **4 Attempted Rescue**

* * *

 **Scott stopped arguing with Ridley and John long enough to yell for Alan to suit up and take Gordon in Thunderbird 3.**

 **Virgil had been there too, sitting at Jeff's desk listening silently as the situation unfolded.**

 **"I'll get Thunderbird 2 ready for a little high altitude medical assistance - for Global One's crew - just in case," Virgil said, falling backward down his tube.**

 **"I'll meet you there," Scott said.**

 **Alan was on board Thunderbird 3 checking his ship's systems and in only a moment, Gordon joined him.**

 **John pushed the button to release the Space Elevator and another lever opened the Mooring Claw underneath. He expertly used the Claw's thrusters to get the Claw in place near the ship.**

 **With a flick of his wrist, John buried the Mooring Claw into the side and top of the ship and closed the claw, ripping through the hull and grabbing on tightly to main support in the internal frame.**

 **As soon as the Claw breached the hull, green tentacles began climbing around the Space Elevator, Mooring Claw and even up the Nano Cable. The plants were surviving the vacuum of space.**

 **"Are you seeing this, Scott?" John asked, watching the plants growing on his Space Elevator.**

 **"Yes, I see it, John, you'll have to hurry! Abandon the Space Elevator and Mooring Claw too - let it blow up with the ship." Scott ordered.**

 **John engaged Thunderbird 5's thrusters to move away as quickly as possible. The cable tightened and with Ridley at Global One's controls pulling in the opposite direction.**

 **The charges placed by Ridley around the airlock blew and the science ship ripped away from Global One.**

 **Global One's shuttles were sitting still in space, a safe distance away, but not everyone had time to go through decontamination.**

* * *

 **"This thing won't go fast enough!" Fischler screamed, pounding on the shuttle's controls. Ridley's pilot in GDF Shuttle 2 took remote control of Fischler's ship since the scientist couldn't figure out how to make it fly.**

 **"Faster John," Scott yelled. "Let the cable out some more to add more distance between it and you."**

 **"Not yet, I can't let out more cable until it's farther away from Global One.**

 **"It needs to be farther away from Thunderbird 5 too!" Scott yelled. "John, don't take any more chances! Let that thing go!"**

 **John pushed Thunderbird 5's thrusters to pull the ship for a few more moments. When it was going as fast as he thought he could make it go, he released the Mooring Claw, cable and all.**

 **"It's still going to collide with Thunderbird 5, John," EOS said calmly.**

 **"John! It's still coming right at you!" Scott screamed into the comm. The holo viewers in command on Tracy Island showed how dangerously close the ship on auto-destruct was coming to Thunderbird 5.**

 **"I know! I know! I'm turning as fast as I can!" John yelled.**

 **Ridley was all smiles until she heard John and Scott yell at each other even after John released the scientist ship.**

 **"John! Get out of there!" Ridley yelled too as if it would help to have one more person yell at John.**

 **"I'm trying!" John cried. Holding a lever at full thrust with one hand he pushed buttons with the other. EOS was busy routing more power to the thrusters.**

 **The scientific vessel passed only meters away from Thunderbird 5's solar panels.**

 **"Looks good! It has passed Thunderbird 5 on its way to deep space." Scott said, sitting down on the nearest couch. He pressed his palms over his eyes and put his head back.**

 **EOS reported, "John, that ship will explode in 3-2-1!" Scott on base heard her too and sat forward again.**

 **John looked at his holo-screen in time to see the science ship glow red, then white hot and explode! He put his arms up in front of his face like he hoped to protect himself, even from the images of the explosion on his screens.**

 **"JOHN! NO!" Scott screamed, jumping back to his feet. "You're too close! - OH! No-no-no!" He beat on the holo-viewer with both fists.**

 **The much larger station, Global One tipped a little and righted itself when the science ship exploded. But it maintained orbit. Ridley barely felt the explosion.**

 **"John! Please be okay," Ridley mumbled. Her knees were suddenly weak and she sat on the floor in Global One's control center.**

 **The nanocable from 5's elevator sparked like a fuse until it finally disintegrated with a tiny puff of smoke in space.**

* * *

 **5 My Life Is In Your Hands**

* * *

 **The force from the explosion threw Thunderbird 5 out toward deep space. Going very fast, the Space Station spun end over end - completely out of control.**

 **Caught off guard, John was thrown around inside the Gravity Ring like a rag doll. He hit his head on the console and blood quickly soaked his red hair over his ear.**

 **"John! Grab onto something!" EOS cried desperately.**

 **"NNnnnga!" John groaned when he was thrown against the hull, chest first. Finally, the gravity simulated by the spin pinned him to the Ring's clear outer hull and held him there.**

 **On impact, he struck his jaw and broke two teeth off inside his tongue. He remained stuck against the hull where he hit.**

 **Blood from his head ran into his eye and ran in an oddly symmetrical pattern along the hull. John watched Earth go by over and over, getting smaller each time.**

 **"John!" EOS cried.**

 **"EOS," John mumbled. When he opened his mouth to talk a large blood clot ran out onto the clear hull.**

 **She checked the screens for a damage report and ran on her track until she stopped near John.**

 **John, gritting his teeth, tried to get up, only to fall against the hull again. He said, "EOS I can barely move, can you get control of Thunderbird 5 back?"**

 **His speech was not clear with the pain and blood inside his mouth. The G forces kept him pinned to the floor on his stomach so tightly he was having trouble breathing. He realized at least that being stuck on his stomach, the blood from his mouth was coming out, instead of choking him.**

 **EOS did a quick medical scan and reported, "I have been unable to get control. The thrusters are already at full power. Your right wrist is broken and you have a mouth injury - worse you have a concussion. Your O2 levels are down a little - are you breathing alright?"**

 **John couldn't answer her for trying to catch his breath.**

 **"We still have atmosphere at least - you have to stop Thunderbird 5," EOS said.**

 **"I can't move!" John panted, "Hit something?"**

 **EOS understood, "Nothing immediately in our way. We need to stop soon though."**

 **"It looks like my life - is in your hands - again EOS," John panted, "I'm counting on you."**

 **On Tracy Island:**

 **"Thunderbird 3 - did you see that?" Scott cried, "John needs you guys - NOW!"**

 **"We saw and we've already launched," Gordon answered.**

 **"We're about to get out of the atmosphere," Alan reported, "Firing ION engines in 5-4-3-2-1."**

 **With the ION engines engaged Thunderbird 3 shot through space at high speed.**

 **"I'm launching with Virgil in Thunderbird 2," Scott reported.**

 **"Thunderbird 2? Why? We're going to space!" Alan said without thinking.**

 **"High altitude hand-off and Emergency Medical assistance," Virgil answered.**

 **"It's that bad?" Alan asked, afraid to hear the answer.**

 **"I'm afraid so, Thunderbird 5 is out of control, we can't raise John or EOS and Fischler and the GDF officers may need medical care too.**

 **"No," Ridley interrupted, "you guys go after John! Global One is fine up here - nothing that can't wait until John is safe!"**

 **From Thunderbirds 2 and 3, Virgil and Gordon were on the comms trying everything they knew to reach John, but he just didn't answer.**

 **"Brains, how fast is Thunderbird 5 going now?" Scott asked.**

 **"One moment - Thunderbird 5 is spinning at one hundred and twelve rotations per minute and traveling through space at five thousand-two-hundred and twenty-three miles per hour." Brains answered from his lab.**

 **Gordon whispered, "He'll be crushed!" staring straight ahead like he was already watching his brother being crushed by the gravity.**

 **Alan focused his eyes ahead too, trying to concentrate on the task at hand and get just a little more speed out of Thunderbird 3.**

 **John's little brothers had tears in their eyes.**

* * *

 **Trying to cope with the pain he felt, and being pinned tightly against the hull, John closed his eyes. Oxygen was thin. The temperature in the Gravity Ring was just below freezing and John was feeling the cold. He was shivering and that hurt his battered body more.**

 **What bothered John the most was that he couldn't see Earth or anything else anymore, even with his eye that wasn't covered in blood.**

 **"I hate Gravity," he groaned.**

 **"I know you do, John," EOS said and turned on her track to to to just outside the Command Module. "I have to try to get access to our systems and slow Thunderbird 5 down before John . . . I just have to!" EOS said to herself.**

To Be Continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

**EOS My Life is in Your Hands 2**

 **By Crystalquirt**

 **Thunderbirds Are Go fanfic - I don't own anything or anyone.**

 **[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]**

* * *

 **6 Wild Ride**

* * *

 **Running on her track unaffected by the force of gravity generated by the out of control spin, EOS continued talking to herself when John couldn't answer.**

 **"Thunderbird 5 is venting atmosphere. There's been a hull breach in the Command Module."**

 **Lights flashed, and the holographic images of Thunderbird 5's exterior changed angles very quickly.** **On the screen, EOS saw broken parts of the array and the solar panels falling away as Thunderbird 5 spun through space.**

 **The console didn't light up as brightly, and views didn't change so quickly, except when John was operating it.**

 **Hatches closed at either end of the Command Module, and life support returned to normal in the Gravity Ring.**

 **EOS ran quickly on her track from outside the Command Module and stopped over John. He hadn't moved, and EOS couldn't see if he was awake or not.**

 **"John! Thunderbird 3 is on the way. I have been unable to slow down or get any control of Thunderbird 5."**

 **EOS could sense no reaction to her words from John. So she called Alan.**

 **"Thunderbird 3, this is EOS."**

 **"We can hardly read you EOS!" Alan answered.**

 **"The comms array is damaged - we're losing communication," EOS reported, "I have been able to engage Thunderbird 5's thrusters, but they aren't slowing us down. At least John has life support, and I've closed off the section that was venting atmosphere."**

 **"Thank you EOS – Watch over John - we should catch up to you in twelve minutes," Alan reported.**

 **"Why didn't John call us?" Gordon asked.**

 **"He's not able to talk right now," EOS answered, "He is having trouble breathing from the artificial gravity generated by the force of the spin. He hasn't moved since the explosion and the spin has him pinned against the hull. I can't help him!"**

 **"You're helping him! EOS, if it weren't for you, he wouldn't even have life support. All of us are very thankful that you are there with our brother," Alan said.**

 **"FAB," Gordon added.**

 **"Hurry! I'll do what I can," EOS said.**

 **The next twelve minutes were the longest twelve minutes the Tracy's had ever experienced.**

 **Suddenly, Alan reported, "We can see Thunderbird 5 - still spinning out of control!"**

 **"Go get him, Alan!" Scott said, listening from Thunderbird 2, in high altitude over Earth.**

 **Alan prepared to slow his ship down and brought the grapple arms forward. "EOS - John - Do you read me? We're here!"**

 **After a moment, Alan guessed, "They must have lost communications altogether." Alan said.**

 **"What are you gonna do?" Gordon asked.**

 **"I'm gonna grab Thunderbird 5, stop that spin and reel her in. Thunderbird 3's thrusters will be powerful enough.**

 **"If you fire a grapple, what's to stop Thunderbird 5 from reeling us in and make the two Thunderbirds collide!"**

 **"No, Thunderbird 3 has powerful thrusters. I'm sure this will work, but if you have any other ideas - I'm all ears!" Alan asked.**

 **Gordon frowned, not able to think of anything to say.**

 **Gordon and Alan saw their big brother go by as his station spun out of control. John was stuck to the clear hull like a bug on a windshield. They were close enough that even the blood on the hull was visible around John's head as he went by.**

 **"John! No! Alan, stop Thunderbird 5 no matter what it takes!" Gordon cried as he put on his helmet, just in case.**

 **"FAB," Alan replied, a determined look on his face.**

 **Gordon added, "John's in bad shape. He needs you, Alan, I just hope it isn't too late."**

 **"It's NOT TOO LATE! He needs both of us!" Alan put his helmet on and when Thunderbird 3 was close enough, he fired the grapple and put Thunderbird 3's thrusters into reverse.**

 **"Hold on!" Alan cried when Thunderbird 3 shuttered.**

 **"Holding on!" Gordon answered.**

 **The line tightened, and the force jerked on Thunderbird 3, pulling it along.**

 **Thunderbird 5's spin started to roll up the cable, decreasing the distance between the two ships.**

 **"Gotta have more power!" Alan yelled and pushed his thrusters to full.**

 **With big eyes, Gordon watched Thunderbird 5 coming closer.** **He cried, "We're gonna hit!"**

 **"No! I can't let that happen! John's having enough trouble." Alan cried.**

 **He released the first grapple and backed off a little before he fired the other two grapples at the same time. When they were secure, he re-engaged thrusters to pull hard to the port side.**

 **The force yanked hard on both ships but held. Alan mashed hard on controls and pulled the thrusters to full.**

 **"Gordon! Feed the cable out five-hundred feet, let's reel Thunderbird 5 in more slowly now!" Alan ordered.**

 **"FAB!" Gordon released five-hundred meters of the cable and looked at Alan, worried.**

 **At the last second, Thunderbird 3 veered out of Five's path and the ships orbited each other for a few rotations, becoming slower as Alan used Thunderbird 3's thrusters to slow both ships down.**

 **Trying to stay focused, Alan closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath while he brought all three grapple arms forward. Gordon had control of the cable, slowly pulling the two ships closer together again.**

 **Alan carefully grabbed the Gravity Ring by its three locking points.**

 **Thunderbird 3's thrusters worked in unison with Alan at command, and finally, Thunderbird 5's wild trip came to a stop. Alan stopped the rotation of the Gravity Ring to create a zero gravity environment.**

 **"I hope Zero G will give John some comfort," Alan said.**

 **"We have to go get him," Gordon said.**

 **"Wait - look at that!" Alan pointed at the image of Thunderbird 5.**

 **Under John's station, at the hatch where the Space Elevator used to be was a green mass that had sprouted tentacle-like vines.**

 **Some of the vines waved about in space, looking for something to grab. Others were secured to the hatch and hull and were spreading.**

 **"The outside of Thunderbird 5 has been contaminated! If it's already inside - We have to get to John out of there - and secure Five if we can!" Gordon said.**

* * *

 **7 Space Jungle**

* * *

 **"I'm disengaging the Grapple Locks! Gordon! Take control of Thunderbird 3 - hold her at a safe distance, monitor the growth of that stuff."**

 **"Don't tell me you're going EVA," Gordon said.**

 **"Yep - If we stay docked - Thunderbird 3 could get contaminated. I'll get on board Five and find John."**

 **"But I'm not as familiar with piloting Three as you," Gordon suggested.**

 **"And you aren't very familiar with Thunderbird 5 or going EVA in space. Just keep Three steady for me - I'll call if I need you."**

 **Alan jumped on his Space Board and left through the hatch before Gordon could argue anymore.**

 **The boy on the Space Board shot closer to Thunderbird 5 as Gordon backed the red rocket away.**

 **Alan surfed around the Space Station quickly, looking for damage and to see how extensive the contamination was.**

 **"Gordon! Come in," Alan called suddenly.**

 **"I'm here Alan, what do you see?"**

 **"These crazy vines are growing all over the aft section and cover what's left of the solar panels. No wonder Thunderbird 5 is losing power."**

 **"With no power coming from the panels, Thunderbird 5 will direct stored power to life support and comms until it runs out, right?" Gordon asked.**

 **"It should take weeks, even months to use up the stored power, but the comms are already down. The damage is probably more extensive than what we can see from here." Alan said thoughtfully.**

 **"Let's hope EOS has been able to keep life support going," Gordon answered.**

 **"FAB, Gordon, I'm going inside. At least from the outside, it looks like the Gravity Ring is undamaged and not infected by those plants."**

 **While Alan spoke to Gordon, he was space surfing to the forward space dock. The same hatch where he would have docked Thunderbird 3 with the space station but for the risk of contamination.**

 **Inside Thunderbird 5, the sensors told EOS that Thunderbird 3 was backing off, but watching, she saw Alan coming on his space board and opened the outer hatch for him.**

 **Slowing down a little before entering the hatch, Alan was cautious, even though he was in a hurry. Nothing green greeted him, so he came inside.**

 **"Alan Tracy - Hurry! John needs you!" EOS said, "Don't worry, there is life support."**

 **"FAB!" Alan said, taking off his helmet, "Which way?"**

 **"This way is shortest!" EOS said and ran on her track leading the way.**

 **Alan used his hip jets to propel himself around the Ring. Before he found his brother** **, he found smeared blood on the hull.**

 **"Oh no! Gordon! I found the blood. Be ready to treat John, an IV at least - try to reach Virgil for further instructions."**

 **"FAB, Alan - But haven't you found him yet?" Gordon answered.**

 **"No - not yet, but - "**

 **Even as Alan spoke, he saw John floating limply in** **Zero G** **just ahead. There was a lot of debris floating around that had become dislodged around the space station as it spun through space.**

 **"Gordon! I found him!" Alan engaged his hip-jets to go faster.**

 **"How is he?" Gordon asked.**

 **"I don't know yet!" Alan turned John around in Zero-G so he could see his brother's face. He gasped when he saw his face was nearly covered in blood.**

 **"Gordon! There is so much blood!" Alan cried, sounding panicked.**

 **"Hang in there Alan, stay calm." Gordon encouraged, while his own heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest.**

 **Alan took off his outer insulated glove and used his bare fingers to feel for John's pulse.**

 **"He's so pale!** **But he has a pulse." Alan turned John around, so he was hugging him from behind with his hand over his sternum. He was trying to count respirations. Resting his forehead against John's back, Alan closed his eyes, keeping himself composed.**

 **"I think he's breathing! Shallowly - It's kinda hard to tell for sure - what do I do?"**

 **"Stay calm Alan, you know what to do," Gordon said sounding calm. EOS ran back and forth on her track trying to see better. It looked like she was pacing.**

 **Loudly saying his brother's name over and over, Alan felt John's shoulders, neck, and arms for obvious injuries before shaking him gently to try and wake him up.**

 **EOS parked herself above them and reported, "My limited medical scans show that John has head and mouth injuries and a broken hand at the least."**

 **"Thanks, EOS," Alan said, "John! Answer me!"**

 **As a last resort to try and bring John around, Alan rubbed his sternum with his knuckles.**

 **"Oh-ow," John groaned. "Alum?" John couldn't make his mouth work well enough to say Alan's name correctly. He opened the eye that wasn't covered in blood.**

 **John mumbled, "Alum! You shouldn't 'ave 'om!"**

 **"And let you have all the fun? Gordon' is here too, waiting in Thunderbird 3. Let me see John - open your mouth," Alan instructed. John painfully opened his mouth a little, and Alan looked inside.**

 **"Gordon, John's awake, but his mouth is full of blood! He's had a head injury, too." Alan said.**

 **"FAB Alan, I have the medical equipment set up on Thunderbird 3. You better hurry and get over here! Those plants are growing fast.**

 **"Alan," EOS interrupted. "There is equipment for oxygen therapy right there inside that panel by your foot. The first aid kit is in the next panel." EOS said.**

 **A panel door had a large red plus sign on it, and Alan opened it to get out one of the emergency oxygen tanks and a mask which he quickly put on John.**

 **"Thanks, Alum, but 'm okay - I 'ave to see -." John tried to take the mask off, but Alan stopped him.**

 **"Sit still, John. EOS has been taking care of Thunderbird 5," Alan said, "EOS, can you spin the Gravity Ring? The IV isn't going to work in Zero-G."**

 **"FAB, Alan." EOS continued.**

 **The Gravity Ring smoothly simulated gravity and Alan guided John to the floor as the gravity got stronger.**

 **"I don't need an IV, Alan," John mumbled.**

 **"It sounds like your mouth is working better already." Alan tried to sound cheery.**

 **"Is Five?" John asked, mumbling. In spite of Alan's instructions to lie down, he sat up cross-legged and cradled his broken hand against his abdomen.**

 **"Yes John, Thunderbird 5 is still in one piece, mostly, but Fischer's crazy plants have contaminated the aft section. There is damage to the solar collectors, the Command Module had a breach, but EOS sealed it off, and we've lost the comm system.**

 **"How far did we spin out of control?" John groaned through the oxygen mask.**

 **Squeezing John's shoulder, hoping to reassure him, Alan asked, "Gordon, what is our current position?"**

 **"We're a little over seventy-six thousand miles from Earth's orbit," Gordon answered.**

 **"Sorry John, it took Thunderbird 3 a while to catch up to you," Alan said.**

 **He moved John's matted hair so he could see the cut on his brother's head. John winced and turned his head away.**

 **"Looks like the bleeding stopped. Here, let me put this in your mouth," Alan instructed, putting a small wad of gauze up to John's lips.**

 **"I can do it," John took it and slowly, painfully put it in his mouth and bit down gently. John groaned as he did it.**

 **Alan got a damp cloth from the kit and gently wiped most of the blood from John's face and neck. When he could see John's face, he asked, "Where is your helmet?" Alan asked.**

 **"I don't know." John carefully spoke around the gauze.**

 **"I'll go find your helmet. We have to go EVA to get to Thunderbird 3," Alan said.**

 **"Why can't she dock?" John asked, looking confused.**

 **"Those plants, remember?"**

 **"Oh yeah, you did tell me that," John said and continued on the comm. "Tracy Island - Brains, come in."**

 **Sitting on the floor, John moved his hand from cradling his broken hand to put pressure on his mouth, groaning. Alan took over, using the comms built into his helmet to reach Gordon.**

 **"Gordon, can you read me?" Alan cried, "Come in Thunderbird 3!"**

 **"This is Thunderbird 3, how is it going? Will you be over here soon?"**

 **"I'm not sure yet. Gordon, can you reach Thunderbird 2 or Base?"**

 **"I think so," Gordon said.**

 **"See if Brains has learned anything about these infectious plants and tell Virgil and Scott that John is in pain but seems stable."**

 **"FAB," Gordon agreed.**

 **"How can we destroy those plants and sterilize Thunderbird 5?" Alan asked John hoping for ideas.**

 **"I don't know," John managed.**

 **"You don't know much - first time for everything I guess," Alan tried to tease.**

 **John raised his eyebrow at Alan and said, "My mouth hurts to talk. Can't you tow Five back to Earth with Three?"**

 **"Not a good idea. That's how Five got infected. It happened when you were towing Fischer's ship. We don't even know if the plants are still carriers of the bacteria or not. They may still infect other plants or even animals."**

 **"Or people," John mumbled, "Fischler's ship?" John looked puzzled again.**

 **"Yeah, don't you remember what happened?" Alan asked urgently.**

 **"Everything is a little fuzzy, but oh, I remember. There was an explosion. How are Ridley and Global One?"**

 **"When I saw them last they were contaminated, but okay. Scott and Virgil are helping the people get decontaminated and back to Earth."**

 **"Now I remember. Scott was really angry at Ridley. She stayed on Global One again."**

 **"Yeah, that's how we almost lost you before, and now she did it to you again, only things didn't work out so well this time. I'm not real happy, but Scott is furious."**

 **"I hope Scott's not too hard on her."**

 **"I'm more worried about what Scott will do if he gets his hands on Fischler," Alan said.**

 **"Maybe Ridley and Colonel Casey will throw the book at Fischler this time," John mumbled with a slight smile. Even smiling hurt his mouth.**

 **"Right, we can only hope." Alan answered, "I'll run get your helmet, just in case we have to go EVA or lose life support."**

 **Alan used his hip rockets to find John's helmet. He kept his helmet with him on his belt.**

 **Once Alan was out of earshot, John groaned loudly. He held his jaw and closed his eyes, but didn't want to scare Alan even more.**

 **"John, what's happening?" EOS asked, worried.**

 **"I didn't want Alan to hear, my head hurts - and my mouth. It feels like the station is still spinning." John squeezed his eyes shut and groaned after he spoke.**

 **"Stay quiet then," EOS said, "Alan and Gordon will help you."**

* * *

 **8 Quarantined**

* * *

 **On the way back with John's helmet, Alan glanced out through the transparent hull to see several chunks of plants that had detached from the ship. They had no root structure that he could see. Just a tightly bound mass of vines and leaves.**

 **They were floating in space near Thunderbird 5. They alternately rolled out their vines and retracted them, like they were feeling around for something to cling to.**

 **"Oh wow," Alan mumbled, "That's bad."**

 **"Gordon!" Alan called right away, "Get farther away - some of these things have detached from 5 - I don't see anyway for them to get propulsion, but if one drifts too close to Thunderbird 3 . . ."**

 **"I'm backing up - how far can I go where you can still get back here?" Gordon asked.**

 **"I don't know if we can get back to you at all until we get rid of these plants," Alan said.**

 **Gordon frowned and activated the comms. "Thunderbird 2, these crazy plants are free floating in space now."**

 **"Get John and Alan out of there - bring them home." Scott ordered, "We can return for Thunderbird 5 after they are safe."**

 **"Alan says they can't - they are contaminated and don't want to risk contaminating anyone else with Fischler's bugs. "**

 **"Put me on with Alan," Scott insisted.**

 **"Thunderbird 5 has lost communications - I have to relay messages with Alan," Gordon explained.**

 **"Do what you can Gordon - and keep us updated!" Scott instructed frowning at Virgil.**

 **"I hate that they are out there alone!" Virgil said.**

 **"Right, but Alan and Gordon will be able to figure this out and save John, I'm sure," Scott said.**

* * *

 **On Thunderbird 5:**

 **Returning to John's side, Alan said, "I'm not sure we should try to go EVA with those things floating around out there."**

 **"I think you're right, Alan," John said through clenched teeth.**

 **"The aft section is contaminated. If the Gravity Ring is still clean, can we detach it and at least tow it back closer to Earth?" Alan suggested.**

 **"It has no way of holding life support on its own, Alan, but if the rescue pod is okay, maybe we could use it to get out and find a way to destroy those plants."**

 **"But the rescue pod is housed in the aft section. It's unlikely that it has not been compromised," Alan pointed out.**

 **John lay back down flat on the floor, covering his mouth with his uninjured hand.**

 **"John, your mouth?" Alan asked, putting his hand on John's shoulder.**

 **"I'll be okay," John said through his teeth.**

 **EOS said, "There are chunks of broken teeth inside John's tongue. He would be more comfortable if you can get those out and help him rinse the blood out."**

 **"I'm willing to try - John?" Alan said.**

 **John only nodded, not wanting to try talking again.**

 **"In the cabinet is a dental kit. You will find a topical rinse that will at least begin to numb John's mouth." EOS said. "Then use the mosquito forceps to clean out the wounds."**

 **"Okay EOS," Alan answered. He had the kit and was reading the label on the topical pain rinse. "Here John," Alan poured a small amount into a cup and helped John sit back up and lean** **back against a cabinet.**

 **"Hold this in your mouth and slosh it around as much as you can. Here's a pan to spit in." Alan sat a stainless steel kidney dish by his brother's knee.**

 **When he opened his mouth for Alan, he pulled the gauze out, and John whined softly, but as soon as the liquid was in his mouth, he felt better. Smiling at Alan, John patted him on the back.**

 **"It's not done yet, but maybe you should keep that bottle in your pocket and use as needed," Alan said, smiling as he put the bottle in a pocket on John's sash.**

 **They gave the anesthetic another 45 seconds to work, and John opened his mouth.**

 **Alan hesitated, "Maybe you should do this John? You can probably feel where the pieces are. I'll bring you a mirror."**

 **"No, you need the experience and practice - and I need your help," John said sounding more like himself, except now his mouth was numb, so his words still weren't perfect.**

 **"Okay - I guess. Like Virgil always tells people - Try to relax." Alan put the forceps in John's mouth, and after about 30 seconds he said, "There!" Two tinkling sounds could be heard when the broken teeth hit the tray.**

 **John had his eyes closed, but opened when Alan spoke.**

 **"Here, rinse now. This is just warm water." Alan instructed. John took the cup of water, and Alan held up the dish for spitting.**

 **Alan had John put more gauze in his mouth with his wounds freshly reopened and bleeding again.**

 **After the whole procedure was done, John said, "Thanks, Alan - that feels much better."**

 **"Tongues heal fast. Remember when I nearly bit mine off when I was a kid? Skateboards plus gravity are bad for me."**

 **"I remember, but you're still a kid." John teased.**

 **Alan frowned at him, "Sip a little more anesthetic - you'll stay quieter."**

 **"Yes, Doctor Tracy," John said.**

 **"I better get a splint on your hand too," Alan said, digging in the med kit for the supplies. While he made a splint he asked, "Okay then, how do we fight these plants?" Alan sounded more serious.**

 **"I think that Brains will agree - that first thing, we need a sample of those plants to study," John said.**

 **"We could send Gordon back to see if Brains has found a way to decontaminate Global One, and he could bring it back to us," Alan said.**

 **"Right, Brains might already have a solution." John said. "but it would take hours to go there and back.**

 **"I heard you guys," Gordon interrupted, "and I don't want to leave you two out here alone! Whatever they figured out, I'm sure you two can figure it out too. We're going to all go back together. Or how about if I send a rescue pod from Thunderbird 3 to you."**

 **"We can't get out, and nothing can come close to Five - call Brains and Thunderbird 2, and find out if they've learned anything," John ordered.**

 **"We will work on the problem ourselves too," Alan said optimistically. "Maybe we'll figure out something even more effective than Brains."**

 **After a few moments of radio silence, Alan and John heard Gordon again.**

 **"Thunderbird 5?"**

 **"Alan here, what's the good news from Brains?"**

 **"No good news," Gordon reported, "The officers and civilians all escaped without contamination and are safe, but Global one is still infected. Brains is working on it, but O'Bannon is still in danger of losing her ship anyway."**

 **"FAB, Gordon, stand by," Alan said.**

 **"Sorry Alan, but I have to lie down," John said and started to let himself down to lay flat on the floor.**

 **"Not here, John, you'll be more comfortable in your bed."**

 **"I'm not laying down for long. We have to think of something."**

 **Frowning, worried about his brother, Alan turned his attention back to the job at hand.**

 **"EOS are you able to scan those things at all?"**

 **"Yes, but scans are limited. No life signs, but no details either. I can count how many are out there, but can't provide what they're made up of or exact measurements. Some of our systems are still down." EOS admitted.**

 **"Can you guess what is keeping them alive in space?" John asked, the back of his head resting on the cold marble floor. Alan noticed and put a roll of cotton casting material from the med kit under his head.**

 **"Plants need oxygen and water boils quickly at low pressure. They should have just shriveled up." Alan observed.**

 **"They must have something else besides water in them." John guessed.**

 **"Or a thick outer covering that protects them, as our space suits protect us."**

 **"I doubt if even Fischler knows and he's the one who made them," John said.**

 **"He didn't make them on purpose - you know how he is," Alan said.**

 **"FAB," John mumbled sounding frustrated. "We need a sample."**

 **"The plants were a side effect of his invention. He said they were contaminated by organisms, bacteria specifically that he was trying to turn into growth stimulator and weed killer."**

 **Looking out through the hull, John said, "Too bad those weeds didn't die."**

 **"Well, we know something has to be protecting those plants - a covering of some kind - like an insect's exoskeleton. I guess you're right, we need. . . Aahh!" Alan gasped and ducked when the lights flickered like he thought a plant had him.**

 **"Easy Alan, let's find out what caused the power to fluctuate," John said, sitting up.**

 **"EOS, can you see anything?" Al** **an asked.**

 **"Yes Alan, the plants have begun to take apart the control panel outside the ship. The vines get in between the units and dislodge or break them."**

 **"We could lose life support!" Alan cried urgently.**

 **"We could lose all power! Even EOS - and we need her," John said.**

 **EOS' lights glowed a soft pink. If she had a mouth, she would have been smiling.**

 **"Okay, I'll go out and do a little hedge trimming," John continued, but he had trouble standing up by himself.**

 **"No, you're too injured, I'll go. You showed me where everything is and taught me how to make Thunderbird 5's repairs," Alan volunteered.**

 **"I'm not questioning your ability to repair Thunderbird 5," John said, "It's those man-eating plants outside the ship."**

 **"I'm too fast for them - If I need something, I'll call," Alan was on his Space Board and in the airlock before John could stop him.**

 **"But Alan - when you come back, well . . . you'll probably be contaminated," John said.**

 **"You'd be contaminated too if you went out," Alan answered, "I have a laser cutter - I'll make vegetarian stir fry."**

 **"FAB, little brother. EOS is reading thirteen of the free floating plants out there, each about a foot in diameter, not counting the length of the vines."**

 **"FAB," Alan confirmed.**

 **The plants didn't seem to be aware of Alan as he shot by them on his Space Board. In only seconds he was in front of the Comms Array.**

 **"John! These plants are wrapped tightly around every unit in here! Our water tanks are likely frozen, or gone. The control unit for the water system is completely out of the socket."**

 **"Can you take each unit out in turn and cut away the vines, before putting it back in place?"**

 **"I'll try, but there's nothing to keep the vines from just growing back!" Alan turned his helmet lights on High Beam so he could see better, and when he shined them on the control box, the vines retracted into the cracks like they were hiding.**

 **"That was weird," Alan said, putting the water control unit back into place. The light turned green telling him that it was still operational. Alan took his hand-held light off of his belt and shined it behind the control unit. The vines shrunk away again.**

 **"John! It's light - they don't like the bright light!"**

 **"But plants need light," John mumbled around his sore tongue. The topical anesthetic was wearing off.**

 **"Not these - these plants shrink away from it. EOS! Can you turn on Thunderbird 5's external lights, as brightly as you can get them?"**

 **"Yes Alan, but it will use a lot of power."**

 **"Even if only for a few seconds - I want to see what happens."**

 **Still sitting on the floor, holding his head John watched as Five's external lights came on and glowed brightly.**

 **The vines pull back into the shadows as best as they could. A few plants, in the brightest light, let go of the ship and used their vines to push away.**

 **"Could you see that John? It might not kill the plants, but it is a repellant."**

 **"I saw - Good job, Alan - now get back in here!"**

* * *

 **9 A SAMPLE**

* * *

 **"I'm not done yet," Alan said enthusiastically. "EOS, dim all the lights we can to save power, except those that will light up critical areas, like the control panels."**

 **"Yes Alan, it is done," EOS Answered.**

 **Alan watched the ship go darker, except for the control panel and the solar panels. Left alone in the darkness again, Alan whispered, "This is a little creepy."**

 **"FAB, Alan - Come back inside!" John said.**

 **"Not yet - we still need a sample of one of these things," Alan said, taking a jar from his space board and his laser cutter from his belt.**

 **"Be careful Alan!" John said.**

 **"If I weren't already careful, you're telling me to be careful wouldn't change my actions." Alan grinned a little sideways grin.**

 **"Be careful anyway - saying that to you makes me feel better. I wish I'da been the one out there." John answered.**

 **"Your mouth may feel better but you still have a head injury, probably a concussion."**

 **"Maybe I can pour some of that topical anesthetic over my head."**

 **"Haha, John, you must have hit your head hard. EOS are you sure he had oxygen the whole time?"**

 **"Yes Alan, but he wasn't breathing well while the artificial gravity had him pinned."**

 **"I was kidding EOS," Alan said, "you know, he just suggested that topical anesthetic could help his head injury. That's crazy, right?"**

 **"Oh, I get it," EOS said, not getting it.**

 **While they bantered back and forth, Alan was moving slowly around the station, looking for a vine he could cut off without the other vines getting too close to him.**

 **"Here, this looks good," Alan stopped his board away from the station and used his hip rockets to get to the aft section, by John's rescue pod.**

 **The vines were being kept from the top side of the station only by the bright light shining on the solar panels but were still growing in the shadows around the edges.**

 **Alan landed with his feet on the part of the hull that was brightly lit up. He dropped to his knees and reached over the edge with both hands to cut and grab a piece, quickly.**

 **"Come on little friend," Alan spoke like he was coaxing a little critter to let him help it.**

 **Alan sliced about eight inches off of the end of a vine and caught it in the jar. He put the lid on with almost the speed of sound.**

 **The vines around him generated a sound, like squealing trapped, injured rabbits.**

 **Startled by the strange sound, Alan quickly pushed off toward his Space Board but found himself halted and abruptly pulled back. The jar with his sample inside floated from his hand.**

To Be Continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

EOS, My Life is in Your Hands 3  
By Crystalquirt

Thunderbirds Are Go fanfic. I don't own anything or anyone.

[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]

"No! Get off!" Alan cried and kicked wildly, but a thick vine held onto his right ankle tightly enough to hurt.

"John, Alan is in trouble!" EOS warned. She showed John a Holo-image of Alan's struggle.

"Alan - get out of there!" John cried, using their short range comms.

"I'm trying! Naagh!" Alan cried out of frustration.

The vine pulled him closer to the other vines attached to the station. Alan aimed the laser at the vine near his ankle and activated it. When he cut the vine, the other vines made that high pitched screaming sound again, giving Alan goose bumps.

He yanked the rest of the vine from his ankle, but now it wrapped around his right hand and started up his arm. Another vine reached out and grabbed his other ankle.

"This stuff just doesn't give up!" Alan cried, trying to shake the vine from his arm.

"ALAN! Get back inside Thunderbird 5!" John yelled. He was already breathless as he jogged to the airlock. John put his helmet on his bandaged head on his way.

"I can't bring this stuff inside with me!" Alan cried. He fumbled a little with his laser as panic started to take over.

"I'm coming!" John yelled over the comm.

"Don't you dare leave Thunderbird 5! AND don't call Gordon! I'll figure this out!" Alan said. Even as he spoke, his laser came out of his hand and drifted out of reach. Alan muttered, "Crud!"

He reached down near his boot and got his knife. Alan carefully put the blade between his space suit arm and the vine, and twisted, cutting the vine. Both ends of the short vine shriveled up to strands no larger in diameter than a piece of yarn with a few dime-sized leaves.

Alan shuttered with the creepiness of it all and engaged his hip rockets, but he'd only made it a dozen feet before he was sharply pulled up again.

"Aahh! I don't believe this!" Alan cried.

He brought his leg up to his hand to cut the vine again, but another vine grabbed his hand - the hand Alan held the knife in. Alan whined softly and reached with his free hand for the knife.

While he struggled, the vines pulled him back to Thunderbird 5's hull and the largest concentration of the plants.

A third vine grabbed his ankle. Now both of Alan's feet were caught in the vine.

"Crud - Crud!" Alan muttered under his breath. He knew if he screamed John would try to come out of the safety of the station to help him or he'd bring Gordon in and get him and Thunderbird 3 contaminated for sure.

Instead, he said, "I'll just be a minute, John - Don't come out!" It took all the control he had not to start screaming hysterically.

Alan cut the vine holding his left leg, but right away the same vine grabbed his hand while another vine came and grabbed his leg again.

The four largest vines had Alan stretched spread-eagle between them, and more joined them, grabbing him everywhere.

They pulled him back against the hull, and he remained fairly quiet trying to think - until the vines completely covered his helmet and he couldn't see.

"This - Is - Sooo - Creepy! AAAhhhh! They've got me! EOS! Help!" He screamed.

Only small patches of blue space suit still showed between the vines.

The ends of the vines probed every inch of Alan's suit looking for a way to get to the meat inside.

Alan was too scared to hear the loading claw's motor as it came close. A light so bright that Alan could see it shone through the vines.

The Loading Claw grabbed at a collection of vines, breaking them. The vines grew back faster than one loading claw could keep up. More vines grew and pulled tightly across Alan's stomach and chest.

"Ahhh! It's too tight - EOS! It's getting hard to breathe!" Alan said, feebly trying to kick his legs out of the vines. Exhausted, he stopped trying.

"This is it - isn't it EOS? I'm gonna get killed in space by a stupid plant from Earth!" Alan cried desperately, not able to see through the green vines. He didn't even know if EOS could hear him.

The Loading Claw, precisely operated by EOS grabbed another bunch of vines without touching Alan's space suit. It pulled until the vines snapped and the broken ends drew back into the shadows.

Alan felt the vines pulling away, so he started struggling again.

Suddenly, he could see. There, right in front of him, his face framed by his helmet, with the bright lights behind, John was smiling calmly at him.

"Almost have you!" John said. "You will not be killed in space or anywhere else as long as I'm still breathing, little brother."

"John - you heard me say that?" Alan struggled as hard as he could, but many vines still had him tightly bound to the hull.

The loading claw stayed back once the bulk of the vines were gone, or retreating from the light. The lights on the claw continued to burn brightly while John cut and lasered many smaller vines off of Alan's suit.

When Alan was mostly free, John grabbed him around his waist with both arms and pushed off with his feet. With a burst of energy, his jetpack drew them both from the station, the last of the smallest clinging vines being pulled off of Alan's space suit.

In a moment, they were passing Alan's Space Board.

"John - I think we're out far enough," Alan said. When there was no answer and no change in velocity or direction, Alan looked up at John - and his eyes were closed.

"John!" he called and shook his brother, "EOS, John's fainted again!"

"The new controls for John's jetpack are in his gloves - along the sides of his fingers on his left hand," EOS radioed. Alan found the sensors among John's fingers and shut the jetpack off.

Alan turned so that John was behind him for the trip back. He held John's uninjured arm over his shoulder and used his hip rockets to get back to his Space Board. With his feet planted firmly on the board, and hanging tightly onto John, Alan shot back to the airlock only to find it covered in vines. "EOS? Can you help us get inside?"

"Understood Alan, one moment," EOS said and directed bright light at the hatch and the astronauts.

The vines pulled back from the door, and Alan shot quickly inside. Passing through the second doors, he realized that they were going too fast to stop in the narrow area.

Alan turned quickly to face John so his back would hit the wall, which he did. Then John smashed into Alan and the Space Board or 'Orbital Conveyance Platform,' slammed across John's back.

The hatch doors closed behind them.

Alan urgently asked, "John, are you okay?" as he shook him.

"Oh, Alan - are YOU okay?" I remember cutting you free and then nothing - you must have gotten us inside."

They took their helmets off. John found his helmet uncomfortably snug with the bandages wrapped around his head.

"We got inside with EOS' help, again," Alan said.

"Thank you, again, EOS," John said to the round lens hovering over their heads.

"You're welcome, John," EOS answered.

Even in zero G, John felt dizzy and he clung to Alan with his eyes closed. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I hope you're okay - you shouldn't have come outside!" Alan scolded.

"As you say, I wasn't gonna let you have all the fun."

"Here - come back with me to the Ring where we can see what's happening outside," Alan suggested.

Once back in gravity, Alan held John's hand to lead the way, but John's knees seemed too weak to hold him up.

"EOS, please reduce gravity in the Ring for a moment."

The brothers floated around the Gravity Ring, with Alan using short bursts from one hip rocket to propel them to where some controls were still working.

"Thanks, EOS, we can use normal gravity again." As the gravity returned, Alan guided John back down to sit on the floor. John took it further and laid down on his back.

"My head feels like it might explode," John admitted.

"John, you should have listened," EOS scolded, "I knew Alan would be okay - and you are in no shape to go for a space walk or battle those out of control weeds."

Alan put John's oxygen mask back over his nose and mouth. While he counted John's pulse, he noticed that the splint on John's hand was gone.

Before Alan could scold him, John said, "Yeah, it kinda came off. That way I could use two lasers to cut you out."

"Your hand is broken! How did you do it at all?"

"Superhuman strength when my little brother was in trouble," John spoke through the oxygen mask.

"I guess I was in real trouble - Thank you for taking such chances to save me," Alan said, but John had passed out again.

10 GORDON'S MISSION

"Come in Thunderbird 5," Gordon called, "Did I see you two outside a minute ago?"

"You saw us, Gordon," Alan answered.

"What happened to 'we can't leave the ship?'" Gordon asked.

"We had a repair to do and we needed a sample of the plants."

"Now you're both contaminated - I hope you two know what you're doing!" Gordon said.

"We hope so too, Gordon," Alan said.

Gordon changed frequencies and called Thunderbird 2.

"Virgil! Scott - please come in! Has Brains found a way to kill those plants?" Gordon had asked before his call was acknowledged.

"Not yet, but it's good to hear you Thunderbird 3. You've got John and Alan - right?"

"John and Alan are still in trouble. Alan got Thunderbird 5 stopped, but it is contaminated by those killer plants. And now John and Alan are also contaminated."

"How?"

"Alan went out to get a sample, and the plants almost got him. John went out to help him."

"Are they okay?" Virgil asked.

"Alan says they are, but I'm worried. Those plants are continuing to disable what was left of Thunderbird 5! EOS has managed to keep life support going so far."

"What's John's condition?" Scott asked.

At the same time, Virgil asked, "Is Alan okay?"

"John was injured in the explosion and subsequent wild trip through space. He has a head injury and a broken hand. Alan had to do a little dental work for him." Gordon reported.

"Head injuries can be unpredictable without careful medical treatment," Virgil said with concern.

"EOS is sure that it is a minor concussion," Gordon offered to hope Virgil wouldn't worry.

"How can we help?" Scott asked.

"We need to know how to destroy those plants without hurting John and Alan. Does Fischler have any ideas?" Gordon said.

"Are you kidding? He's gone," Scott said, "Fischler slipped away from Captain O'Bannon after he and Kinnear went through decon."

"I'm surprised that you let him leave in one piece, Scott," Gordon said.

"I didn't let him - he slipped away like a scared rabbit."

"So, is Global One is still full of those vines too?" Gordon asked.

"Yes, but everyone, including Ridley are safe and no one is on board. We are monitoring the situation while Brains is working on it."

"I was hoping that you'd already have a way to get rid of the plants, I'll let John and Alan know," Gordon said.

"FAB - - Gordon? Take care of our brothers," Virgil said.

"FAB, I won't let anything else happen to them," Gordon promised, hoping it was a promise he could keep.

11 EXPERIMENTATION

"I'm glad you finally woke up," Alan said. "Your pulse is strong, and your respirations are normal," Alan said, "A little more oxygen must have helped.

"Well, that's something right? We better get to examining that sample you brought back." John sat up, putting his hand to the bandage around his head.

"FAB!" Alan said enthusiastically. He held John's arm to help him up from the floor.

"In the lab, there are incubators and several biohazard and quarantine environments we can use."

"FAB," Alan agreed.

Holding the jar, Alan followed John around the ring to the lab. John was out of breath in twenty feet. EOS was watching them and took it upon herself to lessen the gravity for John.

"Thanks, EOS," John said breathlessly as his feet left the floor.

In the lab, John went to the closest tank. He opened the top.

"Here, Alan put the jar in here."

Alan sat the jar inside, and John closed the lid, tightening the clamps. Then he put his hands inside heavy gloves mounted seamlessly to the side of the tank. He took the lid off of the jar and right away the end of the vine grabbed around John's gloved finger.

"The inside should simulate space right?" Alan asked.

"FAB Alan," John agreed. "We are already at zero G, but EOS, can you pump all the air out of enclosure #1?"

"Yes John, it is done."

John felt the pressure change in the tank though the gloves he wore. The vine seemed unchanged.

"John, when I was out there," Alan explained, "I used the laser to cut that sample, but it was still alive. When it had my arm, I lost the laser and used my knife to cut it off. It shriveled up to something like a piece of wet, green yarn and it seemed 'dead.'"

"That must mean that cutting them with the laser cauterized the ends and allowed the creatures to survive even when cut. " John said thoughtfully

"And cutting with a knife left the insides exposed to space, and the moisture evaporated instantly, killing them."

"Makes sense," John said.

"But we can't go around cutting all of them in pieces. I'm not sure we could find them all." Alan said sadly.

"And it would be too dangerous." John pointed out.

"Could EOS use the exterior lights to drive them all to one place and then she could smash them with the loading claw?"

"There are too many shadows. I'm not sure we even have the power to keep running all the lights we have on now," John said.

"There has to be something. Look at this, the place on this vine where you cut it with the laser is completely healed, and the end has become bulbous, rounded." John spoke while he examined it. "Alan, can you swing the magnification lens over?"

"FAB," Alan guided the arm with a square screen sized lens at the end so John could look through it at the vine.

"Set to five hundred times magnification," John instructed.

EOS compiled before Alan could reach for the dial.

"Just like I was afraid of, this piece is growing into a new plant - look there," John moved over so Alan could see.

"There are several buds starting new vines on the surface of the bulb," he continued.

"So now we have a full plant, not just a piece of vine," Alan said, sounding a little frightened.

"But there are no roots," Alan observed.

"These plants don't need roots. They are meat eaters." John pointed out.

Alan shuddered at the thought of that again.

"Let's see what happens if I cut this," John said.

"If you cut it with the laser - I think we know what will happen."

"FAB, but I'm using a scalpel," John said.

John held the vine in his fist, but trying to hold the scalpel with an unsplinted broken hand, and having no pain meds were starting to get to him, and he dropped it again, whining softly.

"Let me help you," Alan said. John removed his useless hand, and Alan put his hand in the glove and picked up the scalpel.

Alan cut the bulb off. The plant squealed, and Alan dropped the scalpel and tried to pull John away.

"It's okay Alan - were protected. The cut area is not healing - there is something like a heavy skin or exoskeleton covering these things. John dropped the cut vine, and it just lay on the bottom, deflating. In seconds it was just a tiny green strand, and the bulb shriveled up like a raisin.

"John! Borax or diatomaceous earth might dissolve the exoskeleton, just like it does on bugs!"

"FAB! The firefighting foam on Five and Three is made up of mostly Borax!" John said, sounding like he felt better.

"We should have plenty to cover the ship in!" Alan said, absentmindedly trying to scratch his ankle through his boot.

12 INFECTION

"I have such an itch - it's actually starting to hurt," Alan said. John turned away from the experiment to look at his brother.

"Alan, take your boot off!" John said more loudly than he meant to.

Floating in zero G, Alan pulled his leg up and took his boot off. John had his hands out of the gloves and was at his side, helping him pull down his sock.

"Oh Alan," John whispered with concern.

Alan hurried to look at his ankle too. Near his Achilles tendon, the end of a small vine stuck out, and more of the vine was faintly visible under Alan's skin as it followed a vein, on its way to Alan's heart.

"No-No-NO!" John mumbled sounding angry, but he was terrified for Alan.

"Ah, John? What can we do?" Alan asked, fear in his voice.

John grabbed a large hemostat and tissue scissors from a nearby covered tray attached to a stainless steel work table.

"You aren't going to cut my leg!" Alan cried, but then changed his mind, "Oh well - it might be worth it to get that thing out! Go ahead - I can take it!" Alan held out his leg and squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation.

"I'm not going to cut you," John cut a length of soft rubber tubing from a gas delivery system connected to an incubator. He floated back to Alan and hurriedly grabbed his leg.

"What are you doing?" Alan asked.

"Making a tourniquet to try and stop that thing from getting any farther up your leg."

"We need gravity, EOS!" John cried.

John and Alan slowly lowered to the floor as EOS restored gravity. John cut a line all the way up Alan's suit leg to his hip and cut off the excess. He threw the material into the chute for incineration.

John doubled the rubber tubing, wrapped it around Alan's leg, just below his knee and above the end of the vine and clamped it tightly. He scooped Alan up in his arms and put him on the nearest table, knocking a small incubator and several instruments off as he did. He racked his brain trying to think of what to do.

"We have to get the rest of your suit off, in case more are hiding inside. I'm so sorry I didn't have you do this right away!" John cried.

He threw all of Alan's space suit into the incinerator and activated it. A faint hissing sound could be heard as intense fire quickly turned the suit into a smile pile of ash.

Then John took his own suit off and destroyed it too.

"I'll be right back Alan," John said.

Next to the lab area was a booth for decontamination. John covered his eyes with special goggles that only covered his eyeballs and stepped in. His entire body was ground clean with a short burst of dust, like sand, that instantly removed the top layer of his skin. It was sure to remove any contaminants.

Decon didn't hurt, but John's skin was left a little red. He pulled another space suit from the closet near the lab and hastily put it on, forgetting his oxygen and tool belts.

While John pulled on his clean suit, he called Gordon.

"Gordon! Come in!"

"FAB John! I'm here." Gordon answered.

"Alan's been infected by those plants. One has entered his leg!"

"Oh no - I can come get you! We'll get him back to Earth - Brains will know what to do!"

"No no - stay back - we do have a plan to fight these things - - but you can't come over here yet without getting yourself and Thunderbird 3 contaminated."

"What can I do then?" Gordon asked.

"Leave all of the tanks containing firefighting foam and the chemicals we use to make it. Just shove them our way, and EOS will gather them up from space with the loading claw."

"How will that help? Is there a fire too? I don't see smoke!"

"The Borax we use in the foam will dissolve the plant's outer skin and kill them. We have to cover Thunderbird 5 and all of the free-floating plants in it." John explained coming up to Alan's side.

John had sterile wipes in his hand and began washing Alan's skin, including his hair, all the way down to his toes.

"But Fishler said it took the scientist who was infected six hours to die - and it takes from six to twelve hours for Borax to start killing insects," Gordon said, and Alan overheard. Alan looked away so John couldn't see his face.

"I know - and it will take you six hours to get to Earth and back, but I can't think of anything else to try. If we cut them with lasers, we just get more plants." John said.

"What are we going to do?" Gordon said.

"You're going to fly to earth, get Brains and anyone else available to help and bring them back - by then the Borax will have begun to destroy the vines, I hope."

"But what about Alan?" Gordon said.

Finished with the bath, Alan grabbed John's hand and pulled urgently.

"John, throw me into space and cut the part that is still sticking out of my leg - it will shrivel up, and you can just pull it out!"

"Being exposed in space will also kill you, Alan," John said calmly, frowning at his desperate brother.

"Not if I'm only out there for a few seconds!" Alan put his head back and screamed. "Ah - Ahghnnnnn! It's killing me already - get it out - Please!"

John kneeled next to Alan and looked closely at his little brother's leg.

"Ahhnnn! Alan screamed again and put his head back on the floor, arching his back.

John held his leg down and watched as the vine erupted from Alan's leg just below the tourniquet and then reentered his skin just over it.

"I don't believe this!" John cried.

"Aahnnnng! What's happening?" Alan screamed through his teeth.

"Nothing new. Try to relax Alan - stay as still as you can."

"It hurts!" Alan arched his back even more with the pain. John held his leg down.

He released the tourniquet and reapplied it over Alan's knee, about mid-thigh. He cranked it down tightly, and Alan groaned some more.

"Sorry Alan, I know it hurts," John said, thinking that seeing his little brother in so much pain might just kill him too.

EOS operated the loading claw to gather up the tanks and drums containing the fire fighting chemicals as Gordon used the grapple arms to send them Thunderbird 5's way.

"Is that all of them?" EOS asked when Gordon stopped throwing them.

Gordon said, "Yep, that's all - I'll be back as quickly as I can EOS - watch over John and Alan."

"Yes, Gordon."

"FAB," Gordon said and pointed Thunderbird 3 to Earth. He said,"ION engines firing," and Thunderbird three shot toward earth.

EOS started Thunderbird 5's firefighting system and aimed the nozzles back at Thunderbird 5. It came out as foam - but in the vacuum of space turned to dust instantly.

She covered the ring in the fine dust. Some of it clung to the hull, some puffed out in a cloud in space, where the plants were floating. EOS made sure with her scans that she got every nook and crack outside the station.

13 BACTERIA

Inside the Ring, even Alan noticed the usual starry view had changed to a bright white that reflected the light inside the lab.

"What's happening?" Alan groaned.

"EOS is spraying the ship with Borax," John answered.

"I hope it works - Aaagnnnn!" Alan cried with his eyes squeezed shut again. Tears rolled down his temples and into his hair.

"I think the vine is trying to move - I'm going to stop it!" John said.

"Can't you knock me out? Please!" Alan begged.

"No time to get you under, safely - try to hold still!"

"A hammer to my head would work!"

"Alan - I'm sorry!" John cried.

Alan put his head back and whined through his teeth when the vine moved again.

This time when the vine popped out to jump the tourniquet, John put an aluminum tray between the end of the vine and Alan's skin, blocking its path. The vine repeatedly tapped the tray and continued to grow longer intending to grow over the wide tray and enter his skin again.

John used the surgical scissors to cut the end of the vine off. The vine squealed and squirmed inside Alan's leg, his skin stretching with the vine's movements.

Arching his back, Alan threw his head back and screamed.

"Alan! The light!" John said suddenly. Using only his uninjured hand, he quickly reached up and turned two large, high powered surgical lights on. One at a time, he lowered them just above Alan's leg. The vine shrunk back - the light bright enough to penetrate Alan's skin.

"Ahhh! It feels like it's going deeper! Nnnnng!" Alan cried and moaned.

John was already back at Alan's side with a bottle and a needle and syringe in his hands, pulling clear liquid out of the bottle.

Alan didn't even notice the needle with everything else that was going on inside his leg. John expertly injected small amounts of clear liquid all around Alan' thigh in the muscle - and then a couple of more spots below his knee and at his ankle.

"There - you should feel some relief soon Alan. Try not to worry - I will figure out how to help you!" John said, sounding more confident than he was.

Alan didn't respond verbally - his breathing was very fast his rising and falling very quickly - his eyes were shut tightly, squeezing tears out.

"Alan? Alan?" It was killing John to see his little brother in so much pain. "Alan? Try to hang on!"

Another green vine shot out of the back of Alan's thigh, where the light was not as strong.

Alan screamed, sounding weak. He'd been fighting the pain - his body under attack for too long. John lifted his leg to find the offending vine and snipped it off just before it reentered Alan's skin.

EOS had full control of the Borax operation going on outside the station. While she made sure every spot was covered, she ran on her track to check on the brothers.

"John! He's in such pain!" EOS said after watching for a moment.

"Yeah - EOS do you have any ideas how to stop this vine inside his body?"

"Not currently, but I'm working on it too," EOS said. "Trying to remove it surgically would tear up his leg, even under the best of circumstances."

"FAB, EOS, keep thinking. I'm finding it harder and harder to concentrate."

John grabbed a mask at the end of a long clear hose from a tank and put it over Alan's mouth and nose. When Alan felt something covering his face, he opened his eyes.

"Easy Alan, it's oxygen," John lied a little. The gas was oxygen with a sedative mixed in.

"Try to relax and take deep breaths," John said soothingly.

Alan could smell something sweet in the oxygen and gratefully inhaled, knowing that John was doing all he could to help him.

He relaxed with the gas, and the local anesthetic began to work. John watched Alan relax. He repositioned the tourniquet hoping to prevent any further damage to Alan's leg.

14 GONE FOR HELP

Gordon suddenly pulled Thunderbird 3 into a circle, turning to head back to Thunderbird 5.

"Thunderbird 2 - I can't leave them out here alone! I'm afraid that when we come back, there will be no one but EOS left to rescue!"

"What else can you do alone - get yourself contaminated too?" Scott asked. "Come get us!"

"Fine." Gordon flipped Thunderbird 3 back around toward Earth.

"I want to go too," Captain Ridley interrupted on the same frequency.

"John doesn't need any more help from you, O'Bannon," Scott said decisively, with a little accusation thrown in.

"Look it's my fault that he and Thunderbird 5 and now Alan, are in trouble! I want to go!"

"No kidding, it's your fault!" Scott accused, "We could lose two of our brothers thanks to your inability to follow our orders."

"I'm sorry for what's happened. I was just so sure," Ridley said.

Gordon changed frequencies. "Scott, Where's Brains? Gordon asked.

"He's right here, the GDF brought him up to Thunderbird 2, so we'd be ready when you got here."

"Thanks, Scott, Brains, can you hear me?" Gordon asked.

"FAB Gordon, I'm here."

"John and Alan are spraying Thunderbird 5 and the plants with firefighting foam. They said the Borax in the foam would break down the thick skin that protects the plants in space."

"Makes sense!" Brains said excitedly, "Why didn't I think of that? Scott, the GDF should use their shuttles and firefighting equipment to do the same to Global One."

"FAB and the shuttles should be sprayed too, just in case," Scott said as he called Colonel Casey, instead of Captain O'Bannon to tell her.

"Your message was received by the GDF, Thunderbird 3. What is your ETA?"

"Looks like twenty-two minutes," Gordon replied, thinking that it would still be over three hours before they could get back to Thunderbird 5.

To Be Continued . . .


	4. Chapter 4

EOS, My Life is in Your Hands 4

By Crystalquirt

"Thunderbirds Are Go" fanfic. I don't own anything or anyone.

[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]

* * *

15 VIRUSES

* * *

Even though Alan was under a light dose of anesthesia, he moaned occasionally, and his leg twitched when the vine found a nerve.

John stayed close caring for him and spoke to his brother as though he were awake. He spoke softly and soothingly, "You'll be okay Alan - I'll find a way to stop this."

Having only one hand to work with, cutting a large plastic sheet from one of the ceiling lights was much harder than it should have been. The frustration showed on John's face, and he angrily mumbled while he worked.

Once he had it cut in the shape he wanted, John placed the plastic sheet around Alan's leg like a cone. Using his teeth to hold the tape, he taped the cone in place.

"Now, if the plants try to jump the tourniquet, on any side of Alan's leg, they will hit this and give me an extra second to cut them off," John explained. He looked at Alan. He was in what looked like fitful sleep. John pulled a tall stool over and sat next to his brother to rest, only for a moment.

"Alan?" John spoke to see if Alan could hear him. He made sure that Alan's oxygen mask was still snug and checked the gas levels.

"I'm so tired. My head hurts too much to think. Maybe if I just rest for a moment." John leaned back in the desk chair and closed his eyes. When he drifted off to sleep, his hand fell off the armrest and woke him up. Startled and angry with himself for going to sleep he said, "No! I have to figure this out!"

"John, is there any way for Alan's own body to fight this infection?" EOS asked. She was talking as much to keep John awake as she meant to help. She had been quietly watching both brothers as they slept.

"I don't know how - these baby plants seem to be drinking his blood, and when they're big enough I suspect they will start on flesh." Standing up to check Alan again, John angrily pushed the desk chair away. It rolled across the ring and hit the wall. John continued, "Then, even a tourniquet can't slow them down."

After a few deep breaths, John pulled the desk chair back over and sat down with his uninjured arm on the edge of the cold stainless steel table. He put his broken hand on Alan's chest so he could feel him breathing, and rested his forehead on his arm. "I'm sorry Alan. I just can't think with this pain in my head."

"Just because the plants are big enough to see, doesn't mean that it can't be treated as a bacterial infection," EOS said thoughtfully, "The plant was infected by bacteria among other things Fischler used. Now the plant has technically infected Alan, right?"

"So, you are saying, that maybe I should treat it like a bacterial infection?" John said thoughtfully.

"Right John - you and Brains were studying bacteriophages and the effects of zero gravity the last time he was here."

"FAB, EOS, the samples of the bacteriophages wreaked havoc on the bacteria, even in space."

"John, I think Brains would agree that it's worth a try."

"It is a harmless virus - like a vaccination. Brains was sure that it would not hurt humans - I'm sure he's right. Still, I wish there was time to consult him again before I started injecting Alan with it."

Alan groaned and turned his head slightly.

"He's dreaming I think. I don't know if he can hear me," John said to Alan, "Just in case you can hear me - I think we have a plan. Hang in there. I'm just going to need another sample of the vine."

"You aren't going out again, are you?" EOS interrupted.

"No, I would, but I'm afraid that I'll go out there and pass out again. I'll extract a piece of vine from Alan's leg."

John sat down beside Alan with a new pack of sterile instruments. Like a warning, the lights flickered again.

"No! We can't lose power! Light is the only thing slowing these things down right now!"

"I'll check on it, John," EOS said as she rolled away on her track.

John carefully made a small incision over a visible part of a vine. Using forceps, he pulled a four-inch length out of Alan's leg before cutting it off on both ends. The vine squealed and writhed at the end of the forceps trying to get out of the light.

Alan groaned in his sleep.

"I'm done Alan, sorry," John said. He packed the incision with gauze and taped it in place, expecting an infection to result that would only erupt through sutures anyway.

John prepared an injection containing some of the bacteria fighting virii from a sealed container in refrigerated storage. The small section of the plant he had inside the sealed environment squealed when he inserted the needle into the thick covering.

"Alan's right, that sound is creepy," John said. He closed his eyes and rested his head on top of the environmental tank.

"My hand is killing me too now - this is so frustrating!" John said, testing each finger. He could only move two fingers slightly. He used his broken hand as a mere weight to hold the plant down while he injected the bacteriophages.

John went back to Alan's side to check on him, saying, "Keep your fingers crossed Alan, we should know if it works in just minutes now."

EOS came back as John was snipping off another tip of a vine that had braved the light to try and jump the tourniquet.

"I've routed more power to the lights, and I checked outside. The plants are still hanging onto the outside of Thunderbird 5."

"It hasn't been long enough to start seeing if the Borax will work," John said, on his way back to check the vine he injected with the bacteriophages.

"EOS! Look at that - the bacteriophages are working! That vine I injected is all brown except for the tip farthest from where I made the injection."

"You can begin treatment on Alan, right?" EOS said.

"FAB, I'll give him tiny injections straight into his legs - that way it will gt into his blood faster for them to suck right down and I'll inject or remove all the pieces of vine that I can see."

"Will it be enough?"

"I hope so," John said. "He will probably need more than one treatment, and I'll give him a systemic vaccine too. He may need a surgical specialist and Brains to remove the dead vines as soon as we can get back to Earth."

He released and moved the tourniquet a little higher again. "Alan is almost out of leg. I hope the bacteriophages work quickly."

Every time John gave one of the vines an injection they squealed and moved around in Alan's leg. John made several small incisions and removed as much as he could without causing deep damage to Alan's leg.

"I wish we had enough power left for the medical imaging equipment, I'd like to see what's going on inside his leg," John said.

"When Gordon gets back I'm sure you'll be able to do it with power from Thunderbird 3."

At Alan's side, John resumed his resting position, with his head on his arm and his broken hand on Alan's chest to keep it from hanging down. He did feel a little comfort while he could feel Alan's body heat and respirations.

After a few moments of hanging on the ceiling quietly, watching John and Alan, EOS asked, "John are you okay?" EOS sounded worried.

John didn't seem to hear her, so she repeated, "John!"

Next, she chose a selection from Alan's music library and blasted it from the comms overhead.

John groaned, "Oh ouch, my ears! I'm awake EOS - thank you."

John checked Alan and asked EOS, "How long was I asleep?" He asked, checking Alan's vitals. "He seems fine, but his temp is up a little."

"I'm not sure. I was concentrating my processors on the situation outside the station. I was sure you didn't mean to go to sleep where you were, and I worried that you passed out again."

"I don't know how I ever got along without you, EOS," John said and checked on the plant inside the sealed environment that he'd injected first with the bacteriophages. "It seems to be completely dead now." He observed as he put his hand through one of the gloves.

Inside the containment environment, he picked it up and it was limp. Using one hand and the scalpel he scraped some of the plant's skin and soft insides and put them in a small tube, then he added a drop of methylene blue dye, put on the lid and shook.

He made a sealed slide that made it safe to take from the environment and look under the microscope.

After he'd looked at it for a moment he said, "EOS, can you see this?"

"One moment," EOS said as she tied her systems into the recording John was creating from the microscope.

"Yes John, It appears to be not only dead, but it's breaking down at the cellular level!"

"The original plant that was infected by the bacteria was not a poisonous plant - so I hope it is still not as it will be absorbed by Alan's body after it dies," John said and went back to Alan and checked his vitals again.

"His heart rate is down, respirations normal. Both signs that he is no longer in pain, but his temperature is even higher than it was a few minutes ago."

"His body is fighting the viral and bacterial infections with fever," EOS pointed out.

John picked up Alan's leg and looked it over, bottom and top and above the tourniquet, he said, "The vines that are still visible have also turned brown and shriveled up. I think I can start letting Alan wake up."

John turned the sedative gas off but left the oxygen mask in place over Alan's mouth and nose.

"EOS, would you be able to bring me a piece of a vine from outside to see how the Borax is doing?"

"I'm willing, but how?" EOS asked.

"I'll leave a specimen jar in the airlock and get out. Then can you reach in with the loading claw and get it? I know how precisely you can use that claw from experience."

"I'll try John." EOS agreed.

"Maybe grab some from the first part of the ship you sprayed down," John said and placed the specimen jar in the airlock. Then he quickly returned to Alan.

Just in case the plants might try to get inside, EOS turned the lights on 'high' before she opened the outer airlock.

Sitting by his brother, thoughtfully finger-combing Alan's hair John waited for Alan to wake up. After twenty minutes of waiting impatiently and feeling anxious, he said, "Alan, time to wake up."

"Aw-five more minutes," Alan mumbled. John smiled and lightly kissed Alan's forehead. "At least you sound fine."

* * *

16 RECOVERY

* * *

John checked Alan's vital signs and sat quietly for another few minutes. He tried again, "Alan, it's time to wake up, how do you feel?"

"Hot," Alan answered and groaned.

"You have a fever because your body is fighting back against the vines and bacteria.

"Can't you take the blanket off of me?" Alan asked.

"It's just a light blanket, and it would be better to leave it on while your fever does its job. And in case you forgot, I incinerated your space suit."

"Oh, right - I'm still naked under here." Alan blushed.

"I won't tell anyone. I think you will feel better soon. Your leg should still be under the effects of the local anesthetic - do you feel any pain?"

"No, not pain. Kinda sore all over."

"Are you thirsty?"

"Not really," Alan answered.

"If you can't drink water, I'll have to start an IV."

"Come to think of it, maybe I am thirsty."

"Good choice," John said, removing the plastic sheet that he'd taped around Alan's leg. "You shouldn't need this anymore either."

"John, this is EOS," she called.

While she was talking with John, EOS moved the Loading Claw inside the airlock. The movement caused some of the Borax power to come off the Claw and make a small cloud.

Using care, EOS picked up the glass specimen jar and took it outside.

The station was so thickly covered with Borax that EOS couldn't see any of the vines. She found a likely spot and just stuck the Loading Claw into the powder, hoping to come up with a sample of the vine.

After a while EOS reported to John, "I think I've collected more than enough of the vines for you to study, John. The jar is back in the airlock."

Drinking his second glass of water, Alan was sitting sideways on the table, with his vine infected leg still up and the blanket around his hips. John went back over to Alan and said, "I have to go to the airlock, I'll be right back - will you be alright?"

"Can't you release the tourniquet yet? The feeling is coming back in my leg, and it's really starting to hurt," Alan whined a little.

"Okay. Sorry, Alan, I should have done it sooner."

Instead of leaving then, John went back and released the clamp holding the rubber tubing around Alan's leg. Alan rubbed the deep red line it left in his skin.

"Thanks, John." he said.

"Your welcome, but if you feel lightheaded, or have an increase in pain, or anything else different from what you feel right now, you let me know right away!"

"I'll be okay - you and Brains have never let me down before," Alan said with his usual confident smile.

"I'm glad you feel that way, little brother. Just lay back down on the table in case you get dizzy while I'm gone. You wouldn't enjoy falling off the table. I will go get that last sample jar and be right back."

John held Alan's shoulders as he lay back and he wrapped Alan back up in the blanket.

Alan did what he was told, and stayed put. He was still feverish and drinking the cool water that John left for him tasted good. Alan asked, "EOS, are you here?"

"Yes, Alan - John told me to keep my sensors on you, but technically I am always everywhere on Thunderbird 5."

"I should have known. Can you tell how far away Thunderbird 3 is?"

"No Alan. Our scans are barely working a kilometer from the station. Comms too." EOS stated. "We barely have enough power to keep the essentials operating."

"That's not good - I hope Gordon is okay," Alan said.

"I'm sure he's fine, Alan. Gordon and the others have an ETA of two hours ten minutes and twelve seconds," EOS stated.

"Thanks for the update, EOS," Alan said, smiling at the lens looking down on him from her track.

John came back talking, "Look, I can already tell without examining these that they are dead or dying." John held up the jar excitedly so Alan could see it, right before the wall caught John so he wouldn't hit the floor. John dropped the Jar. Fortunately, it didn't break.

"Easy John!" Alan said and started to get up to help him. John held out his hand, and said, "No - Don't get up, Alan. I'm fine."

"John, you're so dizzy you almost fell just now," Alan pointed out.

John began the long, painful process to make another slide using only one hand.

Usually calm, even tempered John was becoming very frustrated. He showed it by suddenly taking his hand out of the glove and bringing his fist down on the top of the enclosed environment.

"John?" Alan said, "Don't break your other hand."

"FAB Alan, I just can't . . ." John began as he leaned on the front of the environment.

"John, are you doing okay?" Alan asked.

"No, . . . I . . . Alan." John said as his knees failed and he went down.

"John!" Alan cried. The blanket went with him as he practically jumped from the table.

John was unconscious, and Alan called, "EOS!"

"From what little I can read," EOS reported, "John's vitals are near norms. I wish I could see more about what's happening in his head."

"I wish you could too. John is too tall to lay on this table. His legs will hang off. Turn off the gravity again and I'll take him to his bed."

Alan started to pick John up and the blanket slipped. Alan blushed. "EOS, point your lens away at least."

"I have no interest - seeing you naked affects me no more than seeing you fully clothed, or a naked monkey from Earth."

"That's great EOS, I feel much better."

"There are laboratory shirts and pants in the cabinets over the microscope. You can put those on." EOS suggested.

The suit was tan in color and was complete with soft boots at the end of the legs. When Alan reached for his feet to start putting the suit on, EOS whistled. Blushing five shades of pink, Alan quickly slipped into the tan suit. "Something you've learned from John no doubt." Alan guessed.

"No, Captain O'Bannon actually," EOS Corrected.

Alan wrapped John with the blanket he'd been using and with his bigger brother in a bear hug, pushed off through the Gravity Ring to take John to his bedroom.

Alan easily moved John into place over his bed and asked, "EOS, can you turn the Gravity back on."

Alan guided John to lay on his bed and strapped him down.

"Even if we lose gravity again, John is secure in his bed."

Even as he spoke, Alan realized that his leg was really hurting. He sat on the floor next to John's bed.

"EOS?" He asked, "Can you tell if John is okay?"

"His vitals are still within normal ranges- what are you doing on the floor?"

"My leg hurts."

"And you are shivering." EOS added for him, "You are having chills from the fever."

"Yes, I went from too hot to breathe, to freezing." Alan said.

Alan didn't get up to get another blanket before he went to sleep on the floor. EOS observed him and made some quick calculations, "If I raise Thunderbird 5's temperature, it will use more power, but as long as Gordon and the others get here when they should, the power will last and John and Alan should be okay."

EOS used her scanners, checking as best she could for any sign of Thunderbird 3 coming back, and at the same time tracking John and Alan's vital signs.

"I could shut myself down." EOS thought out loud, "I use power too. But John and Alan would be alone if I did. My programs does not use much power and if something went wrong, I still might be able to do something. I will remain operational for as long as I can."

* * *

17 RESCUE

* * *

Thunderbird 5 looked like a dark speck on the Thunderbird 3's windshield. Virgil leaned forward squinting for an instant, then went back to his scans.

"Scanners show that Five is almost completely dark, but there is minimal life support - so they haven't lost all power."

"Thunderbird 5! EOS! Come in!" Scott yelled. "We can see them - they should be able to answer us!"

"When I left they barely had communications at all," Gordon pointed out. "They're probably just trying to conserve power."

"Unless the plants damaged the control panels again and an electrical short drained all the power at once." Brains said.

"There you go looking on the bright side again, Brains," Gordon said.

"Nevertheless," Brains went on, "we should stay back until we can examine the station to see the condition of the vines. I brought all of my field equipment to make studies and Virgil and I loaded all of the medical gear that Thunderbird 3 could hold."

"No, we go in right away," Scott argued, "We have to get on board and find John and Alan as soon as possible. We can't wait for a bunch of testing."

"If we get ourselves killed right away, we won't be much help to John!" Sitting in the back, Captain Ridley joined into the conversation.

"Who's we? Never mind - You don't say anything! I didn't even want you along." Scott said.

"Take it easy Scott, she is right, partly," Virgil said. "But we won't get killed - we know what we're doing."

"FAB," Scott calmed down a little. "Virgil, you're with me. We will go in and see what is going on. Gordon, you help Brains analyze the status of the plants and Fischlers invention. Begin repairs so hopefully, we can take Thunderbird 5 home with us."

"FAB, Scott," Gordon and Virgil agreed.

"What about me? How can I help?" Ridley asked.

"You can help by being very quiet and staying out of our way." Scott growled, "I would have rather had Langstrom Fischler with us than, you." Scott added, "I despise him, but he might have been a slight bit helpful since he caused this."

Virgil said, "Take it easy Scott - I'm sure she feels terrible about what happened."

Scott glared at Ridley but said nothing else.

Gordon opened the hatch and it wasn't even fully open before Scott turned sideways and pushed himself out. Engaging his Jetpack, he shot toward Thunderbird 5. Virgil followed as soon as the hatch was open enough for him to get through.

Watching them leave Gordon asked, "Brains, will you need a sample of the vines? I think I can get some with one of the grapples."

"Yes please, Gordon." Brains answered.

"But won't that mean that Thunderbird 5 will also be contaminated?" Ridley spoke again now that Scott was gone.

"Maybe, but I have confidence in John's plan to use Borax. Either way, we can use the Decontamination Booth on Thunderbird 3 to decon the others and be safe to return to Earth even without Thunderbird 5 if we have to. We'll worry about Three and Five when the time comes."

"What if someone steals Thunderbird 5 or her technology?" Ridley asked.

"I doubt if anyone will find her this far out." Gordon observed, "EOS is on board, and maybe we can restore power and communications."

Thunderbird 3 slowly moved into place with the nose cone and one Grapple Arm close to Thunderbird 5's aft section. Gordon carefully, slowly moved the Grapple claw into place.

"EOS did a great job covering the station with the Borax, how can you even tell where the vines are?" Brains asked through the comm. He was in the cargo bay busy setting up his equipment.

"The aft section was the most affected by the vines before - I'm making an educated guess," Gordon admitted.

"Gordon, can I say something?" Ridley asked, standing behind Gordon.

"Sure," Gordon answered with a smile, while he worked the controls.

"I feel terrible about what's happened - I never thought for one moment that John or any of you would be in danger because of any decision I made."

"We'll get through this, and Scott's probably not as angry as he seems, he's just afraid for John and Alan, as we all are."

"If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know!" Ridley begged.

"Of course." Gordon agreed.

The hatch was mostly visible through the Borax after EOS sent in the last sample jar, so Scott and Virgil clearly saw no vines nearby, even in the dark.

"Computer, open forward hatch !" Scott commanded. "Command repeat - open forward hatch!"

"No response, not enough power - try manual," Virgil suggested.

"FAB," Scott said as he reached in the depression and turned the handle.

The hatch opened only a few inches. Virgil and Scott braced from opposite sides with their feet on the edges of the hatch opening and pulled the sides open enough to get through.

Once inside, Scott took readings and announced, "There is life support, and that's about all."

"FAB, Where do we start?" Virgil asked.

"I say we start with the Ring, that's where John does a lot of his research, and that's where Medical is."

"I agree," Virgil said.

Staying together, Scott and Virgil came from the airlock to the first place where they could run Thunderbird 5's diagnostics. Virgil reported after checking several screens.

"EOS has shut herself off - but before that, she routed all the power that was left to life support," Virgil explained.

"That explains the dark. Isn't it warmer in here than usual?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, it's eighty-four degrees Fahrenheit," Virgil answered, looking concerned, "Systems show that an hour ago it was ninety-five degrees."

"There has to be a reason EOS was trying to keep it so hot - it uses power so she must have thought it important." Scott observed. "Is there enough power to bring EOS back online?"

"Maybe if we turn the heat down, but I don't want to mess with anything until we find John and Alan and talk to EOS."

"FAB. It's just that John likes to keep his station on the chilly side as a rule," Scott said, looking around with his helmet lights.

"We'll split up - you go that way - I'll go this way and whoever finds them, sound off!"

Separating, the brothers used their jetpacks to propel themselves around the ring. Virgil found blood smeared on the hull and the first aid kit opened and the contents floating around freely. He frowned as he continued, more quickly.

Scott drifted through the lab area. There were bloody surgical sponges and instruments and other signs of rushed medical treatment, eerily floating in the area.

Looking ahead was John's bedroom. Virgil saw something floating near the floor using the light from his helmet and called Scott, "I see someone in John's bedroom area!"

"On my way!" Scott said. He shot forward, approaching the bedroom from the other side.

Virgil carefully pulled Alan from next to John's bed so that Scott would have clear access to check John over. Floating in Zero G, Scott and Virgil checked their brother's vital signs.

"Alan has a high fever," Virgil reported.

That explains why EOS was keeping it hot in here. She was trying to keep Alan from having chills.

"Alan, can you hear me?" Virgil asked squeezing his shoulders.

Alan groaned, "Virgil you're here? But you don't like space."

"But I love you, little brother." Virgil spoke to Scott, "How is John?"

"Not good," Scott said. "Thunderbird 3? Any news on the plants outside? We need to get these two back to Earth!"

"You found them alive," Goron said, "What a relief."

"Scott, Brains is sure that the plants are all dead. The Borax worked wonders," Brains said, "It is safe to dock with Thunderbird 5 to get Alan and John on board."

"FAB, Gordon we'll meet you at the Forward Dock!" Scott said.

With Alan being semi-conscious, Virgil chose not to scoop him up in a fireman's carry and only picked him up in his arms to carry him to the dock. Through the fever he was experiencing, it took Alan a moment to realize that he was being carried.

"Virgil - let me go, I can make it," Alan said groggily.

"Look at it as a free ride, Little Bro." Virgil smiled kindly.

"But it's embarrassing to be carried."

"I won't tell anyone if you won't," Virgil said as they made their way to the dock.

Scott stared at John for a moment and said, "Thunderbird 3, I think we should use a stretcher for John. If I carry him - I might hurt him more."

"FAB, on my way, Thunderbird 5," Gordon answered. Anticipating their needs, he was already on the way with a stretcher and saw Virgil carrying Alan.

"Good to see you Alan," Gordon greeted them, "We were all worried!" He patted Alan's shoulder and smiled at Virgil on his way past.

While being carried, Alan crossed his arms in front of his chest angrily and said, "See, Gordon already saw - put me down - I'm sure I can walk."

"Nope, older brother's orders," Virgil said.

Virgil carried Alan straight to Thunderbird 3's one-person decontamination booth he put Alan on the floor and stripped off his suit, Alan complained, "not this! Do I have to be naked again?"

"Yep, Brains' orders, this time," Virgil said. He was already out of his suit and taking off his socks. He threw all of their clothing into Thunderbird 3's incinerator.

Virgil helped Alan stand on one leg and kept him upright while they stepped into the booth. Virgil put the goggles on Alan and then on himself. The strong burst of sand-like grains hit Alan and surprised him, he nearly fell, but Virgil reached out and grabbed Alan's arms. The decon cycle finished, and Virgil took his goggles off so he could see to help Alan with his.

"Are you okay Alan?" Virgil asked.

"Just awesome!" Alan said, frowning. "Really, I feel weak, and I'm still freezing." Alan was shivering, and his teeth were chattering.

Virgil put a lightweight T-shirt on with draw string, green surgical pants. Then he helped Alan put on the same except Alan's pants were light blue and Virgil immediately cut the pant leg off so he could see Alan's wounds.

"Alan, it looks like you went through hell."

"I guess I kinda did."

Virgil carried Alan to the bed that Brains had ready. It pulled out from Thunderbird 3's, hull in the cargo bay. There was another bed pulled out above Alan's that was waiting for John.

Scott and Gordon passed the triage area quickly on their way to to the decon booth with John.

Sitting on a bench near the beds, Ridley watched them carry John through on the stretcher. Once they were out of sight, she hung her head, covering her face with her hands.

Virgil kneeled by Alan's lower bed to check him out. "How does your leg feel Alan?"

"Sore, punctuated by pain that shoots from my hip to my toes like lightning bolts."

"Brains! Alan's in pain, and he's hot as a firecracker!" Virgil said, "His temperature is 104 point eight! He's shivering."

"I know Virgil - I'm coming." Brains said, grabbing the kit he'd prepared for Alan, and pulling medical imaging equipment on a cart behind him.

"Alan, do you know what happened? Do you know what treatment John might have come up with for you?" Brains asked when he got to

"Not really. I was kinda out of it."

"Shouldn't you reduce his fever?" Scott asked.

"Fever will help his body heal. I'll watch it so it does not get too high or stay high too long." Virgil answered. He scanned Alan's vitals and frowned.

"Fever is typically an attempt by the body to control and fight an infection or disease," Brains explained further.

Virgil interrupted, "Alan's fever is too high now. I'll keep him covered with a sheet, and wipe him down with damp cloths. Right Brains?"

"FAB Virgil. We don't want him to get too cold or cool off too fast. Hopefully, his chills will pass, and he'll stop shivering soon.

"I see." Ridley said, "Covering him with a light blanket or sheet will help prevent chills."

Virgil said, "EOS was trying to do that by keeping Thunderbird 5 warmer."

Brains had his imaging equipment working and completing full body scans of Alan.

Virgil got out of the way when Scott and Gordon came to lift John up on the bed. They were all dressed in the same t shirts and surgical pull string style pants.

Virgil moved back in, cutting up John's sleeve to prepare him for an IV.

He said, "Brains, can Scott splint John's hand or do you want him to wait for you to complete the imaging?"

"No, get it on, this equipment could almost scan through metal." Brains bragged.

Brains sent all of Alan's images to Thunderbird 3's systems and began scan's of John's head. He made quick scans of John's hand while Scott was putting the splint in place.

When Virgil had John's IV dripping slowly into his arm, he returned to Alan wiping his face and arms down. He got his hair wet too and Alan looked a little groggy when he looked at him.

"I'm trying to make you more comfortable, Alan," Virgil said.

"Thanks- how's John?" Alan mumbled.

"He's hanging in there. Don't worry,"

"Can't help it. John should have been resting, but he pushed himself beyond his limits caring for me."

"He likes you, little brother," Virgil smiled. "I'm sure you'd have done the same for him, or anyone that needed help."

Alan's look softened, and he closed his eyes again. Virgil made another quick scan of his vitals.

Brains sat by a holo screen and brought the scans up. After a moment of study, he spoke out loud.

"I'd like to know more about what happened to each of them. Virgil, would you draw some blood samples? Ridley and Scott, could you go see if you can get EOS and Thunderbird 5's security system operational so it will be protected until we can come back for her?"

"I'll go do it - Ridley you stay here!" Scott ordered.

"I can help you know," Ridley argued. "I'm already dressed for space. I'll check the solar panels and make sure if any are working that they are aimed at the sun, manually if necessary. After you get EOS back online, she should be able to maintain systems. After you leave, she won't need to maintain life support, and that will save a lot of power."

Scott was left standing near the hatch, alone and with his mouth hanging open. Ridley had just given him orders and left - like she was in charge. Growling like a bear, Scott went and did what he was told, realizing that Ridley was right - even if he hated it.

Ridley exited through Thunderbird 3's forward hatch and used her jets to propel herself to Thunderbird 3's aft section. She landed below the solar panels and opened the control panel.

"Everything in here still shows green. But there is no power coming in." Ridley pulled herself along the array with her hands until she reached the base of the first solar panel.

"I see now - the main cables are disconnected. Ridley reached above and shut the panel to off before she touched anything, just in case. Using basic tools she kept in her space suit, she hooked the cables up or spliced them together where needed.

"They should work now, except for the two that are missing," Ridley said out loud, but Scott didn't answer. She turned all the switches to the 'on' position and smiled when the system came on and showed that power was actively charging the power cells again.

Scott felt the hum and soft noises that told him that the power was back. Not being familiar with how John had everything programmed, he had to hunt and peck some. Soon after the power came back on, The lights around EOS' lens came on brightly. "Scott! How is John? And Alan, of course!"

"We have them on board Thunderbird 3. Brains is checking them out. If he already has completed the medical imaging, you should be able to access Thunderbird 3's files to see the images too. I don't think Brains would mind your second opinion."

"Accessing now," EOS said.

"EOS, I want to thank you on behalf of the whole family for caring for John and Alan. From what I saw when we got here that if you had not been her to do all you did, they would not have made it. So Thank you."

"It is my pleasure, Scott Tracy. I have accessed Thunderbird 3's systems and am looking at the images with Brains. I can also see that some power is restored, but we are still not ready to take Thunderbird 5 back to earth.

"WE were hoping to take it too, but John needs to get back to Earth - then I will come back personally to get you and Thunderbird 5 back. Will you be okay while you wait?"

"Of course Scott, I will keep Thunderbird 5 locked down until you come back."

"I won't worry at all with you in charge," Scott said, smiling.

Scott and Ridley made it back to Thunderbird 3 at nearly the same time.

"Looks like you did it," Scott said, looking out at Thunderbird 5's shining solar panels.

"Don't sound so surprised," Ridley said.

Scott just left her standing there. He was on his way to check on his brothers.

"Alan's fever is down a full point, and the shivering has stopped, Virgil said.

"But John hasn't regained consciousness," Gordon added.

"John does have a concussion, but EOS was right it isn't a severe one. If he had stayed quiet after it happened, he'd have been a lot better off."

"Alan needed me. I couldn't just go take a nap." John said.

"John! You're awake! You might have let us know rather than just laying there listening."

"I learn more that way. How is Alan?"

"Alan has several large abscesses with dead plant matter blocking his veins and two large arteries. I recommend draining them so that normal circulation can be restored."

"Can you do that now?" John asked.

"I don't recommend it - it needs to be done under proper surgical conditions. It's going to be messy surgery. I've started him on antibiotics."

"I agree," EOS chimed in, "You should all leave for Earth as soon as you can, I 'll hold down the fort."

"Fab EOS, but first, How did John kill the plants that got inside Alan's body?" Brains asked.

"He used the bacteriophages that you were experimenting on last time you were here."

"Brilliant – I wish I would have thought of it. It seems to have worked." Brains said. "I will make some more scans and tests of Alan's blood."

Up on the top bed, John was trying to sit up and noticed the IV in his arm. He started to take the tape off.

Virgil saw and stood up to stop him. "John, leave it! Just stay still and let us care for you for a change."

"Gordon, can you pilot us back again," Scott asked.

"FAB, I'm getting pretty good at piloting Thunderbird 3. I can replace Alan next time he doesn't do his homework in time to go on a mission."

"Hey, that will never happen," Alan said, sounding alert.

"Get us going then, Gordon," Scott said.

"FAB," Gordon acknowledged.

Virgil moved John's pillow and rather insistently guided his shoulder to get him to lay down again. John groaned.

"You'll be home and feel better soon John."

"Virgil," John began, "I'm afraid I wasn't at my best - it was EOS that came up with a treatment for Alan. I just couldn't think clearly - it was scary."

"I understand. However it came about, maybe a team effort from you and EOS, it looks like Alan will be okay."

"Is Alan's fever still so high?" John asked.

"It's coming down. Lay back John - try not to worry. We'll be home in no time."

Gordon said, "See you soon EOS - we'll be back as soon as we can."

"Take care of John," EOS said.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .


	5. Chapter 5

EOS, My Life is in Your Hands 5

By crystalquirt

I don't own anyone or anything.

* * *

[[[[[ Thunderbirds Are Go!]]]]] 

* * *

Landing on Tracy Island

* * *

Gordon landed Thunderbird 3 in her hanger and lowered the loading platform. Gordon and Ridley carried John out on a stretcher.

With one arm, Scott held Alan around his ribs to help him walk. Alan could hardly bear any weight on his leg so he leaned heavily on Scott.

"Are you gonna make it, Alan?" Scott asked. "Do you want me to carry you?"

"No! Don't carry me - I'll make it!" Alan said quickly.

Grandma Tracy and Kayo were waiting for them.

Virgil hopped off of the platform before it was all the way on the launch bay floor. He jogged to Thunderbird 2 with only a quick wave at Grandma Tracy. Scott and Gordon followed more slowly.

Thunderbird 2's engines whined, and the containers shifted on their belt under the great green plane. Virgil loaded container one. He lifted Thunderbird 2 over the pod container and opened the ramp for the others.

Grandma Tracy saw Virgil getting ready to leave right away again, and asked, "What's going on? John and Alan?"

"We have them, Grandma. They are injured but seem okay. Brains says they need further treatment. We're taking them to the London Hospital.

"Kayo, Grandma Tracy, come along with us," Gordon called to them.

Kayo saw that Captain O'Bannon was tagging along too and said, "I'll bow out this time, I should stay and keep an eye on things here, especially since Thunderbird 5 isn't operational at the moment."

Then she called loudly, "Captain O'Bannon, will you keep an eye on my brother's at the hospital for me?"

"Yes, of course," Captain O'Bannon answered with a smile.

"And Scott," Kayo said, "Keep me informed about what's going on at the hospital too."

"FAB," Scott agreed as he disappeared into the pod container with Alan and Grandma Tracy.

Thunderbird 2 rolled out to its launch pad and in seconds, blasted off and shot toward London at top speed.

"Too bad Kayo couldn't come with us," Alan said.

"She's right," Gordon said, he sat near Alan watching over him and John. "She will monitor in John's place and watch over the Island while we're gone."

* * *

More Bad News

* * *

Back on Earth, in London, in an undisclosed office location, Fischler and Kinnear leaned over a work table, looking at something that Fischler had in a glass vial.

"What is that, Mr. Fischler?" Kinnear asked, afraid of the answer.

"Just some of the microorganisms that International Rescue and those idiots at the GDF tried to take from me," Fischler answered.

"Are you NUTS?" Kinnear asked. "Those things are dangerous! When they infected those plants - the plants killed a human being."

"I'm the boss, I can't be nuts," Fischler said. "My experiment last time went a little askew because you said I needed to take my invention to space."

"I never said anything like that! It wasn't my idea! All I do is follow you. I'm lucky that I'm still alive."

"Ha! You mean you're lucky I let you tag along with me on my miraculous accomplishments. It must be just amazing for you to share in my light."

"Right, I need a job and haven't found anything else that pays enough to live on," Kinnear mumbled.

"What? Oh, never mind. We have work to do. We need to go to a place with many different kinds of plants for my next series of experiments," Fischler said thoughtfully.

"You can't continue your experiments with that stuff! What you have there is the sample from what you took to space - that sample has already changed by being in space." Kinnear tried to reason with his boss.

"But they aren't in space now. Since we are back on earth and normal air and gravity I expect any plant I use it on to become heavily laden with fruit and vegetables, beans and whatever else we eat that comes from plants."

"Where are you going to find one area with many different kinds of food producing plants? Farms usually specialize in one or just a couple of species." Kinnear tried again to dissuade his boss from continuing.

"They don't even have to be food producing plants! Any plant I apply my new invention to will become full of edible fruit or something beneficial to humanity in a matter of hours."

"Right, but your plants have already killed someone!" Kinnear reminded Fischler.

"Silly goof, that was in space. Things will be different this time. Fischler Industries will not give up!"

* * *

At the hospital

* * *

On final approach to the London Hospital, Virgil radioed in for clearance to land on the Emergency Helipad. There wasn't quite enough room for the big green bird on the pad usually reserved for smaller medical helicopters. Virgil saw in plenty of time that his bird wouldn't fit, but in a hurry to get help for his brothers, he landed anyway.

One short green wing took out a satellite dish, and the aft section squashed a row of communication antennas that were along the edge of the roof.

Virgil put the pod container down so smoothly that his passengers didn't realize that they'd landed until the bay door opened.

A dozen EMT's, six nurses and two doctors met them at the Pod and transferred John to a gurney. It took a little convincing, but Scott and Gordon convinced Alan to get on a gurney too for the trip inside the hospital.

Virgil stayed behind in Thunderbird 2 for a few moments, arranging the repair of the damage done when he landed.

Ever watchful, Scott noticed first that the hallway and private treatment area was populated by GDF Officers all standing at attention.

Captain Ridley said, "At Ease," several times as she walked by them. They relaxed a little but stayed still.

Once they were all safely inside the large treatment room, the doors closed. Two Officers stood on the inside with two more standing in the hallway outside the door.

Brains handed a small tablet to the head surgeon, whom he seemed to know on a first name basis.

"Hi Tom, this has the imaging I completed in space when we first rescued them. The files are labeled simply with their first names, John is the tall redhead, and Alan is the blond teen.

"Thank you, Hiram," The surgeon, Tom said, "I'll have my team of experts start on this right now."

"May I come with you?" Brains asked, "I need to tell you all we know about what happened to Alan. I'm sure he is no longer infectious, but I need to let you know what happened and what we did."

Nurses and doctors swarmed over John and Alan in the treatment area. All the activity directed at him and especially his injured leg made Alan very nervous. Gordon noticed and stood by his gurney to hold his hand.

"I'm okay, Gordon - really - I want off of this thing," Alan begged.

"They just want to make sure you're okay. Thanks to Fischler what happened to you has never happened to anyone else before," Gordon said, squeezing his brother' hand.

A nurse set an IV in Alan's wrist and got the fluids dripping, and Alan barely noticed with Gordon talking to him.

A team of radiologists made new image studies of John's head and spine. John was awake, but he stayed still with his eyes closed the whole time. He didn't stir even when the nurses set two IVs, one in each arm.

Grandma Tracy sat in a hard folding chair in a corner. Scott stood nearby, shooting sour looks at O'Bannon who sat next to Grandma Tracy when she wasn't talking with her officers.

Virgil joined them after he got the hospital's communications working again. It had only been ten minutes. He walked over to Scott to check in before he went to check on John and Alan.

"We need to turn off our comms - The GDF comms too," Virgil said, "Our signals are messing with the hospital's medical equipment."

"Our equipment doesn't usually interfere with anything here," Scott said.

"It's because of the damage I did landing Thunderbird 2. I could only restore the hospital's comm systems temporarily, but the technicians will be here within the hour with new parts to repair the devices. I told them to send you the bill, big brother."

"Thanks," Scott said, without seeming to hear what Virgil said.

"Hey, Scott," Virgil squeezed Scott's shoulder to make him look at him. "They will be okay."

"I hope so," Scott answered.

Virgil walked over to Ridley to be sure she knew not to use her comms and then went back to Scott's side.

The pair watched a nurse shave about a quarter of John's red hair off, in the front and around his wound.

"Oh man." Virgil said to Scott suddenly, "Have they told you anything? Does he have to have surgery or something?"

"No one has said anything!" Scott said and used long strides to get to John's bedside.

"What's happening - are you shaving him for surgery?"

"No no! Just cleaning the wound. How long has it been since the accident?"

"Close to eleven hours," Scott said.

"Oh, no wonder. His hair was matted around the wound with dried blood," Then nurse paused, looking at the wound, "Look at that. The wound is the shape of a perfect five-point star."

"Wow, it is - like someone cut it out using a cookie cutter," Virgil said.

"That's gross," Scott, "but it is appropriate for John to have a star shaped scar."

"John, aren't you still awake?" Virgil asked.

"Once he was sure it was safe, the doctor gave your brother pain meds and a light sedative that will help his circulation, and heart rate. He will be asleep for the sutures. Looks like he'll need about eighteen stitches."

"Oh, wow. Thank you, Nurse." Virgil said.

The nurse went about scrubbing the wound with surgical scrub. The iodine turned what was left of John's hair even redder near the shaved area. She scrubbed it from the wound out to the edges of his hair three times. The doctor came over and began suturing his scalp back together.

Scott and Virgil barely made it back to where they were standing in the corner to watch when Alan yelled.

"No! You're not doing it! My brother, John saved me - I'm fine!" Alan would have got up and run if Gordon wasn't holding onto his hand.

"Alan no! You can't run!" Gordon said.

Virgil was there in an instant, blocking Alan's escape route off of the gurney on the other side. Scott stood behind Gordon.

"What's the matter, Alan?" Virgil asked, keeping his deep voice as calm and low as he was able.

"They want to cut my leg up more - And they said they'd leave incisions open with some kind of drainage system implanted!"

"John said you'd need this. Do you remember?" Virgil asked.

"John didn't say all that - he said they'd just drain the infection."

"You don't want all that dead plant matter in your leg do you?" A nurse interrupted insensitively. "It could cause you to lose your leg you know!"

Scott blocked her, standing so close she had to back away, "Thanks, nurse, but we'll talk to him."

Meanwhile, Virgil kept talking to Alan, "Ignore here, this is what the doctor thinks is the best treatment, and it is a modern treatment, but tried and tested and found to be very effective."

"Sounds awful - Can I still fly Thunderbird 3?" Alan asked.

"I'm sure you can as soon as you feel up to it. You won't even know the implants are there, and after the infection is gone, they will take them out. You won't feel a thing."

"Fine," Alan said, crossing his arms over his chest.

A different nurse from the one who spoke with no bedside manner moved in quickly and gave Alan a shot through his IV line.

"That will help him relax, and prep him for anesthetic."

In only moments Alan was smiling and sounded a little stizzed when he spoke, "Gordon, you know I feel like taking Thunderbird 3 up right now," Alan made mouth noises, "Bhhgzzzzz - Whoosh!" and motioned up with one arm, "There I go!"

"Yes, there you go, Alan," Scott brushed his little brother's hair from his eyes and kissed his forehead. Gordon teared up just watching and looked down, hoping Scott wouldn't notice.

They were still standing around Alan when the surgeon, Tom came in with a nurse and Brains, wearing surgical gear too. The Surgeon gave Alan another shot that put him out in just seconds. The nurse and Brains cared for Alan while the Tom addressed the others.

"Family, I understand it is important to stay in this room for security, so we will be doing this boy's surgery right here. Please stay behind the curtain until we tell you it's okay to peek in. I want this area kept as sterile as possible, so stay quiet, as still as you can and away from the curtains."

"Yes Doctor," Scott acknowledged for everyone. Virgil sat down and held Grandma Tracy's hand. "You've been very quiet Grandma, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Virgil - I'm just worried about my boys."

"Me too," Virgil admitted.

The beep of a heart monitor echoed in the room that let everyone know that Alan's surgery was beginning. Virgil heard Grandma Tracy take a deep breath and gave her hand a light squeeze.

Scott sat down for the first time since they'd been there. Ridley sat next to him.

"Thank you for the extra security, O'Bannon. I appreciate it." Scott admitted, still sounding angry.

"Anything I can do to help, since, well you know."

"I know," Scott growled.

John raised his unsplinted hand to feel the new bandage on his head. Gordon, who still hadn't sat down was leaning on the wall nearby, went to John's bed side.

"John, you're awake?" Gordon said, looking into John's eyes.

"Unless this is all just a terrible dream, I am."

"No, it's real. Alan's is having surgery right behind that curtain. That's his heart beat we can hear."

"Awesome," John said solemnly.

"I heard them talking - Brains is assisting the surgeon. You saved Alan's life. They said there wasn't anything you could have done better for him."

"It was mostly EOS. She saved both of us. Where is she, and Thunderbird 5?"

"Still out there in the delta quadrant. EOS is repairing what she can and keeping things secure until we can go get her."

"We need to do it as soon as possible. Rescue calls are going unmonitored."

"No, Kayo is monitoring and working with the GDF to keep up with calls for rescue. If something really big comes up, they will let us know."

John frowned but seems to relax back into his pillow. Gordon straightened John's blanket and straightened his pillow with his brother's head still on it.

* * *

Botanical Gardens

* * *

"I am delighted that you have an interest in The Botanical Gardens. Our Tropical Greenhouse, this largest dome on the property is set up to care for plants as closely as nature intended in a rain forest." The manager, Joe began after introductions were complete.

Kinnear spoke first, "That sounds like a huge job, You must have hundreds of employees."

"Not at all. The garden is set up in every way to provide the ease of access and care for every leaf." The Garden Manager. "It's only me and two part time assistant gardeners."

"Enough about you," Fischler couldn't contain his excitement. "Can we start the tour so I can get on with my work?"

"Yes-yes, of course. As you can see, the plants all grow in special soil in large containers or beds. The high roof allows room for even the tallest of trees to grow to their full size."

"I don't see any hoses for watering," Fischler observed.

"Yes, Mr. Fischler. We don't use hoses to water. As I said, it does not take a large number of employees to care for the many plant varieties we have here."

"How are the watering and fertilization done then?" Fischler asked.

"Simulated, gentle rain falls from a water system inside the roof every afternoon. The system also fertilizes automatically as needed."

"How do you know when it will rain?" Fischler asked, "I don't want to get wet while I'm working."

"The simulated 'rain' is preceded by the sounds of thunder echoing in the dome. The thunder lets patrons know that the rain is coming. Some patrons leave, others are dressed for it and stay even during the rain. The mist and a special lighting system produce several rainbows during each rain. A few people even plan to come during the rain on purpose - it is so beautiful."

"That is all amazing, do you think we can get started with our work now?" Fischler asked impatiently.

"Exactly what do you propose to do to my plants?" The Manager asked.

"Oh, just a wee experiment on a variety of plants. I need to study them in nature, which makes your setup ideal. After that - for just a few plants I will need a cutting to take back to my lab for further testing."

"Alright. I'm happy to help, but when you are ready to have the cuttings let me know. I don't want any of our plants damaged in any way."

"I am not here to damage anything - I only want to study them."

"Alright then, I'll leave you to it. Just call me back when you are ready for your cuttings - I will get you some cuttings, personally." The manager said, excusing himself.

"Now, we need to find that watering system that he talked about before the artificial rain begins."

"Why?" Kinnear asked.

"Putting my micro-organisms into the water system will spread them evenly to every plant in the house."

"And on every person who stays to see the rainbows! You can't do it!"

"One more word out of you and you're fired!" Fischler threatened.

"You don't need to fire me - I QUIT!" Kinnear said and left Fischler standing there with his mouth open.

Once outside, Kinnear used his mobile phone to call the GDF and report what Fischler was planning.

* * *

Emergency Call

* * *

A call came in at the nurse's desk just outside the guarded treatment area. The nurse immediately came to the treatment area for one of the Tracy's, but Captain O'Bannon took the call.

O'Bannon stood before a small hologram of Colonel Casey, listened for a moment and said, "I apologize Colonel Casey. We had to turn radios off because our powerful signals were messing with the medical equipment."

"I really do need to talk to Scott. I hate to bother him now, but there is a mission." Colonel Casey repeated.

"I'll bring him to the phone with an armed escort. Please stay on the line Colonel Casey."

Ridley went back to the treatment room at told Scott what was going on. Scott followed Ridley, and two officers followed them to the nurse's station.

"Hello Scott, how are John and Alan?" Colonel Casey asked quickly.

"About as well as can be expected I guess. Alan's in surgery now having more of Fischler's dead plants removed from his leg."

"I'm afraid I don't have good news to add to your problems, Scott," Colonel Casey said.

"What's going on?" Scott asked with a sigh.

"We have a situation at the Botanical Gardens located on the edge of Epping Forest.

"What could possibly be happening at the Botanical Gardens that would require International Rescue to help?"

"The GDF received an anonymous tip," Colonel Casey began, "An unnamed scientist whom I believe has to be Fischler is there, experimenting on the plants. The caller warned that what happened in space is likely to happen again."

"Fischler must have saved some of his bacteria so he could keep on experimenting," Scott said angrily. "He probably hasn't even kept it quarantined."

"Doesn't this guy ever learn?" Colonel Casey asked.

"No, he doesn't and were the ones who take all the chances when his inventions go sideways. This time we're already two brothers down before we start." Scott pointed out.

"I'm sorry Scott, but I think you'll be needed as you have the most knowledge about this man and his experiment."

"FAB Colonel, Thunderbirds-Are-Go!" Scott turned and jogged back to the treatment area without waiting for the officers. Ridley hurried to keep up.

"Virgil, Gordon - we're needed!" Scott said.

"FAB," Gordon said and reluctantly followed Virgil toward the guarded doors with Scott close behind.

John heard and with some difficulty sat up. Grandma Tracy jumped up and was at his side. She put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Stay down, John. Your brothers will have to do this, whatever it is, without you."

The only sound in the treatment area were the beeps from the medical monitors.

On their way out of the waiting room, Scott left orders.

"O'Bannon," Scott said, "Stay with our brothers and try not to get them killed while we're gone,"

Captain O'Bannon angrily looked away from Scott. His comments were getting to her, and it showed when tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks after they left.

Even though she tried to hide how upset she was, John noticed.

To Be Continued . . .


	6. Chapter 6

**EOS, My life is in your hands 6**

 **I don't own rights to anyone or anything.**

* * *

 **GOING TO THE GARDENS**

* * *

 **Thunderbird 2' VTOL thrusters fired and lifted the great plane off of the hospital's helicopter pad. Virgil was at the controls, and Gordon sat at navigation. Scott sat behind Virgil on another call with Colonel Casey through International Rescue's secure channels.**

 **"The GDF is on their way too," Scott said to his brothers when Casey's holograph disappeared from in front of him.**

 **"FAB," Gordon asked, "Do you think that we have enough Borax on board in case we have to use it again?"**

 **"I don't know yet," Scott said.**

 **"This situation may be very different from what happened in space," Virgil said, "On Earth, high concentrations of Borax will kill the plants, but probably won't hurt the Bacterial infection."**

 **"Yeah, it was the vacuum of space that killed the infected plants after the Borax wore through their thick outer coating."**

 **"Right," Virgil said. "I just hope we don't have to blow the place up."**

 **"Can we do something only to attack the infection in the plants?" Gordon asked.**

 **"Maybe - We will need the virus solution that John used to cure Alan - what he called the bacteriophages."**

 **"It will take too long to go back to Thunderbird 5 and get them," Gordon said.**

 **"No, the vials are on Thunderbird 3 now," Virgil answered. "I grabbed them from Five in case Brains would need them for Alan, but I left them on board Three."**

 **"Who knew that Fischler would steal something so dangerous?" Gordon asked.**

 **"We should have known." Scott said, then he opened a comm channel, "Thunderbird 2 to Tracy Island - Kayo come in."**

 **"I'm here Scott, what's up?"**

 **"I need you to bring the vials of bacteriophages to us."**

 **"The what?" Kayo asked.**

 **"The bacteriophages, the virus that John used to help Alan. We might have to use them at the Botanical Gardens. They are on board Thunderbird 3, in the medical trunk number 3." Scott said.**

 **"FAB," Kayo reported. "I'll be there before you know it! How are John and Alan?"**

 **"Alan was in surgery when we left. John is awake and looking more like himself - except they shaved a lot of his hair off." Scott said.**

 **"Poor guy, he loves his hair almost as much as Gordon loves everything about himself," Kayo said.**

 **"Except maybe his height," Virgil said.**

 **"Hey! I take exception to that!" Gordon cried.**

 **"I take exception to your height too," Kayo said.**

 **"Thunderbird 2 out! Right, Virgil?" Gordon said, trying to stop the conversation.**

 **"FAB Gordon, see you soon Kayo," Virgil said.**

 **"Making final approach to the Botanical Gardens," Virgil reported when he began to slow Thunderbird 2 down to land.**

 **"Everything looks normal down there," Gordon said.**

 **"Maybe the caller was wrong," Virgil suggested.**

 **"Maybe they're in a different location," Scott said.**

 **"No," Virgil said, "There's Fischler's Mobile Lab," he pointed at a large gray delivery truck with the beaker logo on the sides.**

 **"Let's get in there and find out what's happening," Scott said. "Maybe we can still stop this before it even gets started."**

 **The three brothers entered the largest, Tropical Dome. They remained near the entrance looking around.**

 **"Look, those two people over there, they are soaking wet," Gordon said.**

 **"They are wearing rain gear, indoors too like they expected an indoor storm," Virgil observed.**

 **"Everything is wet in here. The workers must have just finished watering. But I have a bad feeling." Scott said, walking toward the center of the dome.**

 **Joe, the Garden Manager saw the three members of International Rescue enter the Dome and was on his way to meet them.**

 **"Sirs! I am happy to see you came to my gardens! I know you're from International Rescue! Would you like a tour?"**

 **"Maybe, we aren't sure yet," Scott answered. "We were called because someone alerted that they may be some problem here."**

 **"Have you seen anything, or anyone odd?" Gordon asked.**

 **"Did you know that someone from Fischler Industries is here someplace?" Virgil asked.**

 **"I - Oh - No?" The Manager stammered, not knowing which question to answer first.**

 **Out of the corner of his eye, Gordon saw movement in the shrubbery. The dense shrubs were growing in a raised bed next to where he was standing. Turning around, he moved a wet branch and right before his face was Fischler's face, wide-eyed and scared like a deer in headlights.**

 **"Aaah!" Gordon yelped in surprise, and his brothers jumped to his side. Virgil reached through the branches with one hand and pulled Fischler out by his collar.**

 **Gordon backed away, panting and covering his heart with his hand in mock distress, "You scared the crud outta me!" he cried.**

 **"What are you up to Fischler? Tell us now!" Scott demanded.**

 **"I'm not doing anything that has anything to do with you! Now get out of here." Fischler's voice shook a little when he spoke.**

 **"We're not leaving until we find out what you're up to," Scott said.**

 **"Why are you guys even here wearing your weird costumes? There is no one here that needs rescuing!" Fischler argued.**

 **"Not yet perhaps, but we received word from the GDF that you stole some of those Microorganisms that caused all the havoc in space yesterday." Scott answered, "You know, two of our brothers are in the hospital because of you!"**

 **"How would they know? It's not my fault that your bunch won't stay out of my business!" Fischler said, crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air before he tried to walk away. Scott got in front of him.**

 **Virgil glanced over at Gordon. He was looking up with his mouth gaping open. "Hey Gordo, what are you looking at?"**

 **"This tree. Wasn't it just a shrub when we first got here?"**

 **"What makes you think it's the same plant? There are thousands of plants in here."**

 **"We've only walked from here to the main doors where we came in. I remember the sign in front of it. We have these same trees at home - I remember dad planting them when we were little, and they still aren't as big as this one is." Gordon explained.**

 **The Manager, Joe listened and said, "He's right, these are a type of ornamental orange trees, they usually stay half the size of this one - and it was just a four-foot-tall baby tree when we planted it this morning, according to the sign."**

 **"Fischler - is this what your experiment did? Make plants grow like this?" Virgil asked loudly.**

 **"This tree should be heavy with large oranges," Fischler admitted.**

 **"So you did use your microorganisms already," Scott said.**

 **"Yes I did - and I was right - nothing bad has happened," Fischler said smugly.**

 **"So far it's just making everything grow very large. Did you** _ **experiment**_ **just in this area?" Scott said, backing up so he could survey the surrounding plants.**

 **"No - it went everywhere! I put my invention in the watering system. It rained down on every plant here! Wasn't that ingenious?"**

 **"No - Not ingenious! This is not good!" Scott said. The leaves on a lattice of Ivy grew larger before his eyes.**

 **"It's great!" Fischler said excitedly. "The fruit and vegetables should be popping out all over the place - any second!" His voice went up two octaves with his excitement.**

 **A huge pink flower twenty-eight inches across crept up and opened close to Virgil. The sweet smell so strong they could smell it right away. A dozen more pink flowers were opening.**

 **Behind them, a bed of Aloe plants was growing larger, the Aloe in the middle was already ten feet tall in the center, and the outer leaves were reaching across the aisle in between the brothers and the exit.**

 **Scott growled angrily when a ten-foot tall large-leafed plant right behind Gordon suddenly popped up to a height of thirty feet.**

 **He grabbed Gordon by the arm and pulled him away from the plant. A huge, four-foot across flower opened part-way creating a pitcher shape. In the middle was a sticky pool of dark, smelly nectar.**

 **"What is that?" Gordon cried, "It smells like a dozen skunks died three days ago!"**

 **Joe said, "that's an Amorphophallus Titanum - otherwise known as the Corpse Flower. When it's a third of the size it is now - it eats insects, frogs, and small rodents."**

 **"Being this big will probably broaden its selection of delectable entrees," Gordon said.**

 **"I just hope it isn't us!" Virgil said.**

 **"Aaaaah!" Fischler screamed suddenly. The brothers and Manager Joe turned to see the growing vines on a trellis, thirty-yards away. The plant was pulling Fischler toward it.**

 **Virgil jumped into action and began cutting the vines holding Fischler. Every time he cut one, another vine grabbed onto a different part of Fischler's body.**

 **Fischler kept screaming and kicking, even kicking Virgil twice once in his gut and once in his 'business.'**

 **"Hey! Stop it - hold still!" Virgil cried, "Kick me once more, and I'll put your lights out!"**

 **"Hey! Ahhaaaa! You can't threaten me! Aaaahhhhh!" Fishler screamed some more.**

 **When Scott turned to watch Virgil being beaten up by Fischler, the Aloe plant behind him brought one of its heavy, sharply serrated leaves down across Scott's back. Scott fell forward, and the leaf tried to close lengthwise around his body.**

 **Heavy spines along the edges scraped through Scott's suit scratching his back.**

 **Scott rolled to face his attacker, and the leaf missed grabbing Scott's whole body. Instead, it grabbed around his one leg close to the base of the plant. The middle and tip of the long leaf clamped on tightly to his hip and above stabbing him in the ribs and all the way under his arm with inch long spikes, like big rose thorns.**

 **"Agnnnn!" Scott cried, "Nyahh - nyahh," as the leaf grabbed him. He immediately tried to pull the thorns out with his hand, but they just dug in deeper making Scott groan.**

 **"Scott!" Gordon yelled and jumped toward his eldest brother activating his laser. He aimed to cut the heavy leaf at the base. Another Aloe leaf just missed landing on Gordon, only to knock Joe down instead. Joe rolled just out of the Aloe's reach and passed out.**

 **Silently, a heavy dark green vine from across the aisle came from the base of the Corpse Flower. Gordon had just started to cut the Aloe that held Scott. The vine stealthily wrapped itself around Gordon's waist before he knew what was happening. The Corpse Flower yanked Gordon back, and he dropped his laser cutter.**

 **Gordon uttered a cry of frustration even though knew that his brothers were already busy and weren't able to help him.**

 **The plant picked Gordon up and tried to shove him down into its huge leathery flower, but Gordon spread his feet out to the edges and braced his legs trying to keep from going into the sticky, smelly nectar soup.**

 **Virgil finally got Fischler cut away enough that he got to his feet and ran away screaming. Virgil had to take a few more seconds to cut the vines that had tried to entrap his legs.**

 **"Scott! Gordon! I'm coming!" Virgil cried, on his way to his brothers.**

 **Virgil stopped at Joe and found him unconscious. Unmoving, the man no longer seemed to be prey for the plants.**

 **Unfortunately, Virgil was moving, and the Aloe tried to drop another of its huge, heavy leaves on Virgil. He put up his arm to block it with a grunt when it hit. It harmlessly fell to the ground behind him.**

 **The leaves were so heavy that the plant couldn't pick them up again once they hit the floor.**

 **"Good you stupid plant - you're out of leaves now aren't you!" Virgil yelled defiantly.**

 **The plant with thirteen large pink flowers seemed to be watching Virgil. All of the flowers turned to face him when he moved.**

 **Virgil dropped to one knee to help Scott but shot a glance at Gordon. Gordon was yelling angrily and making sounds like he was practicing karate on the plant.**

 **"Gordon! I'll be right there! Scott's bleeding!" Virgil said.**

 **"Help Scott -I got this!" Gordon said but wasn't as sure as he sounded.**

 **"Hang in there, Big Brother!" Virgil said.**

 **He had his laser out and adjusted it to cut the whole heavy leaf from the base. Virgil hoped that the Aloe would let go of Scott when he cut it from the base, but it didn't. Also, the cut edges of the leaf seemed to be bleeding red blood.**

 **Virgil made the laser very short and started slicing it up at the tip, under Scott's arm. He removed the thorns in pairs as carefully, and quickly as he could.**

 **Scott cried through his teeth, "Help Gordon!"**

 **"He's okay for now, I think – You are bleeding!" Virgil argued.**

 **Behind Virgil's back, a second heavy vine pulled Gordon's legs together. The first vine dropped him into the smelly nectar soup.**

 **"Aaaah! Crud! I knew it! I'm gonna smell for days!" Gordon yelled. He tried to pull himself out of the nectar, but the large vine around his waist held him down.**

 **The soup was up to his mid thighs, but he braced with his feet on the bottom. The vine hadn't been able to push him down any deeper, but not for the lack of trying.**

 **Gordon hung on desperately to the top edge of the flower.**

* * *

 **VIRAL STORM**

* * *

 **Kayo landed Shadow on the curved roof of the dome. She slid down like she was on a water slide jumping at the last second and landing on the ground on her feet. She entered the back way, through a small square equipment and maintenance room.**

 **"This is where they control the watering system and lights," Kayo said thoughtfully as she made her way by the control panels and two computer stations.**

 **Kayo looked into the main Garden and saw all of the plants were much larger than they should have been. Many had spikes, thorns or extra large flowers and leaves.**

 **She started inside, heading for the area under the dome's center.**

 **"There is something going on over there," Kayo whispered as she entered, keeping herself ready for anything.**

 **"Scott, can you hear me? I'm here!" Kayo whispered into her comm.**

 **Scott heard her and yelled, "Don't come into the Dome, Kayo!"**

 **"But it sounds like you guys need help!"**

 **Virgil yelled, "Just find a way to get the bacteriophages into the water system and flood this place!"**

 **"What about you guys?" Kayo cried.**

 **"The virus didn't hurt Alan- we'll be okay if you can use it to stop these plants!" Virgil said desperately.**

 **Scott looked up at Virgil in time to see a large pink flower open behind Virgil's head.**

 **"Look out!" Scott said.**

 **Virgil turned enough to keep the flower from closing around his head and suffocating him, but it still caught his shoulder and left arm down to his elbow.**

 **The flower pulled, but Virgil was ready, and the flower didn't pull him off his feet.**

 **"Hey, guys! This smelly flower soup is starting to burn!" Gordon cried.**

 **Forgetting his own predicament, Virgil aimed his laser over at the vine holding Gordon down inside the flower. His laser was right on, slicing the vine in two.**

 **Gordon clung to the edge of the flower with his elbows over the edge but didn't seem to be climbing out.**

 **"Get out, Gordon!" Virgil yelled. As he aimed the laser at the flower that had his shoulder, another flower shot out from the plant and knocked the laser from his hand. Then it pinned his hand to his hip.**

 **A third flower caught both of Virgil's legs and the three flowers together pulled Virgil off of his feet.**

 **"Gordon!" Virgil yelled, but his little brother still wasn't out of the flower.**

 **Gordon clung to the sides. Straining, trying to climb, he just wasn't making any progress.**

 **"Gordon! Climb out! I could use your help!" Virgil called.**

 **"I-I can't!" Gordon cried desperately.**

 **Kayo inspected the control panel and checked three screens on a computer, flashing quickly between the images.**

 **She ran to where the main pipe for the water supply left the control room. The pipe ran through another smaller metal box with valves and a lid fitted for a pipe wrench to open.**

 **"This looks like the port where they can add fertilizers and soil conditioners," Kayo said.**

 **Kayo found the wrench hanging next to the box and opened the compartment. There was a little water in the bottom. Kayo added every thing that was left of the Bacteriophages and turned the dial to 'dilute' and then set a dial to one thousand parts per liter.**

 **Securing the lid with the pipe wrench kayo groaned exerting pressure enough to be sure it was on tightly.**

 **She ran back to the computer and pushed several keys very quickly.**

 **"That should do it!" Kayo said and paused to listen. A motor sound came from the wall near where the pipe ran, and she could hear water filling the fertilizer reservoir. It sloshed for around for 60 seconds, and Kayo looked out into the dome just in time to see the rain begin to fall.**

 **Once Kayo was sure everything was working right, she ran to where her brothers were.**

 **Fischler stepped out of the shadows. He'd been watching the brothers struggle with the plants and making notes, giggling softly. He'd also followed Kayo to see what she was going to do.**

 **The warm, gentle rain fell all over the garden.**

 **Virgil was fighting the plant that had him. Every time he'd punch or tear a flower, another one would replace it, and he was getting tired.**

 **Scott was lying still under the Aloe leaf. Little spots of blood soaked through his suit where each of the thorns pierced his skin. A small puddle of what looked like blood formed at the cut end of the Aloe leaf.**

 **Gordon weakly clung to the side of the flower, his eyelids drooping.**

 **As Kayo ran onto the scene, Virgil was the one who seemed to be fighting the hardest, so she ran over to him.**

 **"Good! Glad to see you Kayo! Get me out so I can help the others!" Virgil said.**

 **"I'll help Scott - you get Gordon," Kayo split up the work.**

 **"FAB." Virgil agreed.**

 **Kayo didn't need a laser. Using her bare hands, she chopped the flowers head's off and pulled Virgil away. She kicked and chopped the rest of the thirteen flowers into paste. The plant no longer posed as a threat.**

 **"Scott!" Kayo called, "Can you hear me?"**

 **"FAB, help Gordon!" Scott repeated, groaning.**

 **"Virgil has him, let's get the rest of this thing off of you."**

 **"Thanks, Kayo. To be truthful, I think this plant is drinking my blood."**

 **"I think you're right, Scott. The thorns have hollow points." Kayo glanced at one after she pulled it out of Scott's skin.**

 **"Like a bandage - just rip them out!" Scott suggested, "We have to help Virgil and Gordon, and Fischler got away again."**

 **Kayo whispered, "No he didn't - he's hiding right over there, behind what's left of the plant that attacked Virgil. He followed me around watching my every move, making notes and giggling like a little girl."**

 **"You mean he was just watching us fight his plants for our lives?" Scott said angrily.**

 **"Keep your voice down - we don't want him running now."**

 **"I'll kill him," Scott growled.**

* * *

 **JUNGLE RESCUE**

* * *

 **Virgil reached up to the edge of the flower and grabbed Gordon's hands to help pull him out of the tall flower.**

 **"Come on Gordo, climb!" Virgil said, wiping viral rain out of his eyes.**

 **"I can't move my legs. I'm not sure I even have legs anymore." Gordon cried weakly.**

 **"No! That can't be!" Virgil cried and held both of Gordon's slim wrists in his one big hand. He used his other hand to cut the flower off of the tree-sized stem with his laser.**

 **As the flower fell over, holding Gordon's wrists, he was able to keep his brother's head from hitting the ground. He also pulled him out of the nectar as it spilled.**

 **From high across his thighs, Gordon's suit was soaked with the smelly brown liquid. Below his knees, his suit and shoes were missing. Virgil desperately used his hand to scrape the thick brown goop off of Gordon's legs and found his skin was bright red and blistered under the goop.**

 **"Oh Gordon – Your, your skin is all burned. The pain must have been terrible! Why didn't you scream?" Virgil asked.**

 **"You couldn't have come to help me until now anyway. It still burns, and I can't move my legs! Do I still have legs?"**

 **"Of course you have legs, Gordon, it must be a paralyzing side effect of the plant's nectar."**

 **"Kayo!" Virgil called over, "They said they don't use hoses to water here, but did you happen to see any? I need to wash this stuff off of Gordon's legs, stat!"**

 **"There is a short hose in the janitor's corner of the control room."**

 **"Great! Are you and Scott okay?"**

 **"Yes," Scott answered, "Take care of Gordon."**

 **Wasting no time Virgil picked Gordon up and ran for the control room at the back of the Dome. Gordon weakly held on around Virgil's neck.**

 **"You'll be okay Gordo - we just have to get this stuff off of you."**

 **"You don't know that," Gordon said fearfully.**

 **Virgil set his jaw and picked up speed.**

 **Once inside the control room, Virgil put Gordon down on a rubber mat by the short hose and turned the water on full blast. After the first rinse, Virgil used his knife and cut what was left of Gordon's pants legs off, leaving him with hot pants.**

 **With the disintegrating blue material out of the way he carefully washed Gordon's legs from his hips to his toes, carefully washing between his toes and around his toenails.**

 **"That water's not as warm as the rain in the Dome," Gordon complained.**

 **"Sorry but you can take it, Water Baby." Virgil teased lightly, "pretend you're swimming in the Pacific ocean off of San Francisco."**

 **"FAB," Gordon said breathlessly. Virgil hosed the rubber mat that Gordon lay on and washed the pungent nectar all the way to the drain.**

 **"Look, there are clean white towels in the janitor's cart," Virgil said. He stood up, turned off the water and reached over to grab towels.**

 **Virgil lifted Gordon with one arm under Gordon's arms and across his chest, just high enough to put a thick folded towel under his butt.**

 **"Can you sit up now?" Virgil asked before he let Gordon's arms go.**

 **"Yeah, I'm feeling better. Aquaman gets his strength from water too."**

 **"Yeah right. Can you move your legs yet?" Virgil was drying his legs and feet.**

 **Gordon groaned, clenching his teeth and said, "No, and my legs are really starting to burn."**

 **"Yeah, it looks like that smelly soup left you with something like chemical burns."**

 **Virgil tapped the IR logo on his sash, "Scott, how are you doing?" he said.**

 **"Okay I guess - the viral rain has stopped, and Kayo got all of that plant off of me." Scott was standing up, but Kayo stayed close in case he wasn't as strong as he thought he was. "How's Gordon?" he asked.**

 **"I'm taking Gordon to Thunderbird 2. We need the burn kit," Virgil said.**

 **"FAB, keep us informed," Scott said.**

 **Joe, the manager, awakened and hurried to examine what was left of his prize winning Corpse Flower. "After years of caring for it, just look at it! I don't know if any of the plants will recover."**

 **Kinnear walked up behind everyone. "Is everyone okay?"**

 **"Yes, I think they are or will be," Kayo answered.**

 **"I'm sorry this happened," Kinnear said.**

 **"You didn't do this - we can blame Fischler for this whole thing." Scott said, "It looks like the Bacteriophages are already working. The plants are not moving anymore, and some are drooping."**

 **"When Brains finishes at the Hospital, he should come make some studies to be sure," Kayo suggested.**

 **"But my Gardens are ruined!" the Manager cried.**

 **"Send the bill to Fischler Industries," Scott said.**

 **"Hey! No way you're holding me responsible for this mess!" Fishler popped up from behind the Aloe where he was hiding.**

 **"This was all your fault - you can't put the blame on anyone else," Scott yelled. Seeing Fischler Scott seemed much stronger, or at least very angry.**

 **"You interfered again! I told you all to go away!" Fischler shot back, "This is all your fault!"**

 **"We didn't do anything but manage to stay alive after your invention turned the plants into man-eaters!"**

 **"And you were only supposed to come find me!" The manager interrupted, "I told you I'd make only a few of my plants available to you."**

 **Walking toward the manager and Scott, Fischler yelled back,"Everything would have been fine if International Rescue had stayed away!"**

 **"That's it!" Scott yelled and pulled his fist back. Without Virgil there to stop him, he delivered a punch to Fischer's face that brought blood from his nose and sat the scientist hard on his butt on the floor.**

 **"Ow-Ow-Ow! You hit me! I can't believe you hit me!"**

 **Scott clenched his fists and leaned in wanting to punch him all the way out, but Kayo blocked him, gently.**

 **GDF officers came in just before Colonel Casey and her Second. Kayo was the first to see them, she said, "Arriving just 'after' the nick of time, I believe."**

 **Colonel Casey walked up to see Fischler sitting on the floor crying. Both hands covered his bleeding nose.**

 **"What happened here?" Colonel Casey said.**

 **"He tripped," Scott said.**

 **Kinnear turned away and grinned. The Manager said nothing and Kayo smiled.**

 **"He punched me!" Fischler cried holding his nose. "I want him arrested."**

 **"Oh - he did not, you always try to blame International Rescue for your foolishness." Colonel Casey said with a knowing smile.**

 **"No! they all saw him! He hit me!"**

 **"He tripped, and he can trip again." Scott threatened.**

 **"Did anyone see what happened?" Colonel Casey asked.**

 **A chorus of, "HE TRIPPED," resounded loudly in the Dome. Colonel Casey's Officers pulled Fischler to his feet.**

 **"You are under arrest, Mr. Fischler."**

 **Fischler glared at the Colonel. "You can't arrest me! This is their fault! My work will help a lot of people!"**

 **"Not today," Colonel Casey said. "Take him away."**

 **An officer snapped the cuffs on Fischler's wrists, and they lead him away.**

 **"No-No-No! I can't go to prison!" Fischler kept screaming until he was out of earshot.**

 **Scott called Ridley for a report on the others. He let her know what was happening and that they needed Brains.**

 **"He's right here. I'll have some of my men deliver him." Ridley promised.**

 **Colonel Casey put her hand on Scott's shoulder. "You look awful Scott."**

 **"FAB," Scott agreed.**

 **"I will stay with some of my men to meet with Brains when he gets here. I'll contact you later for a report. You all need to get yourselves back to the hospital to check on your brothers and get yourselves cared for."**

 **"Thank you, Colonel Casey," Scott said.**

* * *

 **ESCAPE FROM THE JUNGLE**

* * *

 **Kayo walked with Scott back to Thunderbird 2. They found Gordon on a stretcher with Virgil packing his legs with salve-soaked sheets of gauze. Scott kneeled down and took Gordon's hand, "How do you feel, little brother?"**

 **"Better, the burn salve that Virgil is using took the burning pain away," Gordon said.**

 **"Thanks, Virgil, I can take over while you fly us back to the hospital," Kayo said. "I'll get someone from the GDF to bring me back for Thunderbird Shadow."**

 **"FAB, Gordon still can't move his legs. Watch him closely."**

 **"Don't worry Virgil, just get us to the hospital," Kayo said.**

 **The salve under the gauze was melting fast. Kayo spread more down the top of each of Gordon's legs and put the gauze back over it. Then she felt his neck for his pulse. Gordon put his head back, but said, "I'm doing okay Kayo, take care of Scott."**

 **"I'm fine Gordon," Scott said quickly. He was still thinking about Fischler and sounded angry.**

 **"Sorry Scott, but I see all the blood spots down your side and leg," Gordon said.**

 **"Now that the adrenaline that helped him stand before is draining away, he will be weak from the blood loss," Kayo said.**

 **Scott reluctantly agreed, "I guess I could sit down for a minute." Scott sat in the co-pilot's seat, leaning back with a sigh.**

 **Kayo used Virgil's helmet to scan Scott's vitals. The device read his vitals out loud, and Virgil heard the numbers too.**

 **"You lost enough blood to that plant to make your red cell count low, Scott," Virgil said. "Kayo, take over, and I'll start an IV."**

 **Kayo started to get up to go to the pilot's seat, but Scott stopped her, taking hold of her arm. "Just keep flying, Virgil."**

 **"At least take your shirt off, you need some bandaging," Kayo ordered.**

 **Scott only unzipped and lifted one side of his suit's top letting her see the puncture wounds over his ribs.**

 **"Lie down on your side so I can see what I'm doing."**

 **Reluctantly, Scott stood up from the co-pilot's seat. They went back to a stretcher, Scott lay down, and Kayo cleaned around the punctures and bandaged them in pairs.**

 **"You have more below your belt. Drop 'em or I'll cut them off."**

 **Knowing she could do it, Scott stood up and took his suit pants off leaving him in his boxers.**

 **"Very nice legs brother." Kayo teased.**

 **"Just do what you think you have to do!" Scott said as he laid back down on his side.**

 **Virgil and even Gordon could be seen grinning as they listened to their conversation. Kayo was putting the last bandage on Scott's leg when they landed on the Helipad.**

 **The antennas and satellite dish had been relocated so that Thunderbird 2 had just enough room to land. Her nose cone and aft section hung out over the sides of the Hospital's roof, but there were no antennae in the way this time.**

 **Scott pulled his suit back on with his gear and went inside with Kayo right away.**

 **"We'll be right behind you," Virgil said. He hung back with Gordon. He was lying flat on his back with his arm over his face.**

 **"How are you feeling now, Gordo?" Virgil asked, but his brother didn't answer.**

 **"Gordon?" Virgil called and gave Gordon's hand a squeeze.**

 **Gordon woke with a start. "Oh! Virgil! Sorry, I guess I drifted off."**

 **"Move your toes for me," Virgil said, frowning when he peeled back the gauze around Gordon's foot.**

 **"We'll, I'm wiggling my big toe, how's it look?" Gordon managed a weak smile.**

 **Virgil still frowned. "Tell me when you feel this I'm gonna press on the bottom of your foot."**

 **"There - I feel it," Gordon said, with a smile that was a little too big on his face.**

 **"I haven't touched you yet. Come on - we're going inside!"**

 **When he found himself in Virgil's arms again, he turned his face into his big brother's arm trying to hide how scared he was.**

 **The GDF Officers were still standing at their posts as Virgil hurried past.**

 **Grandma Tracy saw them enter first, "Gordon! What's wrong?"**

 **"A Corpse Flower nearly devoured him at the Gardens - he was in the flower's digestive nectar for too long – WHILE I was saving Fischler from his own foolishness! I thought Gordon would climb out - but he didn't - he couldn't!" Virgil rambled.**

 **John and Alan were both sitting up in their beds. Virgil put Gordon down on the gurney in between them. Alan hopped off of the gurney and limped over to Gordon. He watched his brother, worried.**

 **"A Corpse Flower isn't known to have paralyzing substances in its nectar," John said.**

 **"Right," Alan added, "A corpse flower doesn't usually even have digestive juices. it attracts bees with the stinky smell and releases them to spread their pollen."**

 **"Fischer's experiment strikes again. Aloe plants do not usually attack humans and drink their blood, but I'm feeling pretty drained here" Scott said as he sat down next to Ridley.**

 **"Someone get me in touch with Brains!" John demanded.**

 **"You're supposed to be resting." Grandma Tracy said. The surgeon can call him if he needs to."**

 **"But Grandma!" John started to object.**

 **The treatment room doors opened and a group led by Alan's surgeon, Tom came in.**

 **"I'm here," he said, "I received a call that you've had more weird plant trouble."**

 **"Yeah, Doc - I called," Virgil said and motioned Dr. Tom to come over. He explained again so everyone could hear exactly what happened to Gordon.**

 **Gordon lifted his hand off of the bed, catching Alans attention. Alan smiled gently and took his hand using both of his.**

 **"Try not to worry Gordon. I know that John, Brains and the other's won't let you down."**

 **"But I can't move my legs - I could feel the skin burning - but can't move them!"**

 **"Some normal carnivorous plants have a paralyzing effect when prey gets stuck to them. Since you aren't going to be that plant's lunch, I'm sure you'll be fine."**

 **"How do you know so much about carnivorous plants?" Gordon asked.**

 **"I do have a large happy Venus Fly Trap, and in the zombie video game, there are carnivorous plants on several levels. After seeing them in the game, I looked them up. Grandma Tracy gave me extra credit on a report I made for her."**

 **"Good for you, Alan." Gordon smiled.**

 **While Alan kept Gordon talking, the doctor removed the gauze and salve, took a tiny tissue scraping and tissue sample that Gordon didn't seem to feel and drew a blood sample.**

 **A nurse put gauze over the place where the sample had been taken and started to clean and dress his burns again.**

 **Virgil stood at the foot of the gurney watching.**

 **A nurse went up to Virgil and asked, "Is there any chance that you brought some of the nectar or the plant with you."**

 **"Oh, no - I didn't - the plants were all dying when we left, and I washed what was stuck to Gordon down the drain."**

 **John said, "Brains should still be there - call him on the Garden's line and see if he can still find some of that plant."**

 **"Good Idea," Virgil said, and excused himself, promising to be right back. He headed for the nurse's station to make the call.**

 **John suddenly appeared standing next to Gordon.**

 **John?" Alan asked.**

 **"Just a little headache left and of course a hand that will take a month to heal. Dr. Tom had to do a minor surgery to line up one of the broken bones in my palm." He held up his palm for Gordon and Alan to see the incision.**

 **"Ow-chy!" Alan said.**

 **"Yeah, but that's not what I said," John said, smiling.**

 **"I know you're looking for my pulse at my right ankle," Gordon suddenly said to John.**

 **"Um, yes," John said, "Did you feel me touching you?"**

 **"No, but I know you, John," Gordon said.**

 **Tears welled up in Gordon's eyes against his will. John pulled him up off of his pillow for a hug. John's uninjured hand behind Gordon's back. Alan joined into the hug too, holding onto Gordon and John like he'd never let go.**

 **Everyone watching teared up a little. Virgil came back from making his call just in time to see the end of the hug.**

 **"What's happened?" Virgil asked, fearful of the answer.**

 **"Nothing new, could you reach Brains?"**

 **"FAB, a GDF plane is bringing him back with a sample he found in a depression of the dying Corpse Flower."**

 **Gordon said, "We'll all be able to smell it when he arrives."**

 **Virgil smiled.**

 **When Brains arrived, he didn't go to the treatment room. He went directly to the Hospital's lab where he met with Dr. Tom and they began** **studying** **the sample he brought back.**

 **To be Continued** **. . .**


	7. Chapter 7

**EOS, My life is in your hands 7**

 **Thunderbirds are go!**

 **I don't own anyone or anything**

 **~crystalquirt**

* * *

 **Having Langstrom Fischler on his way to prison was a weight off of the whole family's minds. The GDF was searching his van and every place he had been known to live or work. Just to be sure that he didn't have any more of his experimental bacterium this time.**

 **Back in the hospital, the twenty minutes that had gone by since Brains had returned and gone into the lab with Dr. Tom was the slowest twenty minutes ever experienced by any family member.**

 **While they waited, a phlebotomist walked up to Scott and sat down next to him.**

 **"The Surgeon is in the lab with your friend, Brains. He has ordered blood work for you too." She had her tourniquet and needle ready.**

 **"What for? I'm fine!" Scott argued.**

 **"Your brother said that you lost what might have been quite a bit of blood, and you lost it to an infected plant. He wants to be as sure as possible that you won't sprout leaves sometime."**

 **"So Virgil tattled on me," Scott sighed. His pilot's suit had long sleeves that didn't roll up quickly, so he took his top off again. First, the technician scanned for his vital signs and then she took the blood samples and said, "Thank you, Mr. Tracy. I'll be back in a few minutes with the results."**

 **"Take your time." Scott said, "But tell Brains to let us know what's happening back there about Gordon."**

 **She smiled and left. Scott put his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. Grandma Tracy squeezed her grandson's hand and said, "Are you feeling alright, Scott?"**

 **"Yes Grandma, I'm just tired," Scott said.**

 **John was back on his gurney. Virgil and Alan made him lay back down when he nearly fell on the floor. He was trying to take Gordon's vitals for the twentieth time in an hour, and Virgil caught him when he almost passed out. John was on his side, watching Gordon and Alan and listening to them talk.**

 **Gordon said, "At least I can feel my legs burning now."**

 **"You should have something for the pain!"**

 **"No, actually it's good to feel something, even if it's not pleasant," Gordon said.**

 **"Can you wiggle your toes yet?" Alan asked. He uncovered Gordon's feet. Gordon sat up so he could see his toes too.**

 **"Ah! No! I'm trying, but I can't do it!" Gordon groaned angrily.**

 **"Easy Gordon," Virgil said when he came back. "We don't know what Brains has found out yet."**

 **"Virgil? What if . . ." Gordon began, but instead of finishing his question, he pulled Virgil down for a hug.**

 **"Sh-sh - You'll be okay - Just hang in there," Virgil whispered. Alan kept his firm grip on Gordon's hand and stared at his brother's toes.**

 **The banging of the treatment room doors startled everyone out of their thoughts and made them look.**

 **Scott said, "It's only you." when he saw that it was Ridley, followed by the phlebotomist who'd taken his blood.**

 **Ridley just went to John to check on him herself. The phlebotomist had a quart-sized jar of orange juice for Scott.**

 **"Drink this down and then drink as much water as you can poke down," she said. "Your blood count is down, and your heart rate is up, but no need for a transfusion. Just drink plenty of fluids and have a nice big meal soon."**

 **"Okay, thanks," Scott said and took the orange juice from her.**

 **" Dr. Tom is still testing your blood and Gordon's blood for any plant traces." she said.**

 **"FAB," Scott sighed.**

 **The doors banged open again, and this time everyone except Gordon and John stood up.**

 **Virgil said, "Brains - what did you find out about Gordon?"**

 **Standing next to Dr. Tom, Brains began his report.**

 **"Good news everyone! The mutated Corpse Flower contained a neuromuscular blocking agent, similar to what Dr's used to use during some surgeries, fifty years ago." Brains said.**

 **"How is that good news, Brains?" Scott asked.**

 **"The flower's juices caused relaxation by binding acetylcholine receptors postsynaptically. Don't you see what that means?" Brains said excitedly.**

 **"In English, Brains," Virgil reminded him.**

 **"The plant's digestive juices entered Gordon's skin through the burns and blocked neuromuscular transmission, causing paralysis of the muscle!"**

 **"Keep talking . . . " Scott said.**

 **"It means that his muscles have been affected and not his nervous system, which means that the paralysis should wear off in less than an hour from now! There has been no permanent damage done to Gordon's muscles or nervous system!"**

 **"That's good news, Brains," Alan said excitedly. "Gordon! You will be fine!"**

 **Gordon smiled and with a loud exhalation flopped back on his pillow in relief. Alan playfully punched at him. Lying on the bed, Gordon pretended to block his punches.**

 **"It would have been much worse if his nervous system had been affected." Brains said.**

 **"I don't want to know about the dark side! Thank's Brains," Gordon interrupted.**

 **"Family," Dr. Tom said, "I am releasing all three of your brother's to go home in Brains care. He will call me if he has any questions, but I doubt that he will."**

 **"FAB!" Scott said, smiling. "Let's get out of here!"**

 **Ridley was the first out the door. She made sure all of her men were aware that the family would be coming out.**

 **The others gathered their gear, except for John and Alan, whose suits and gear had been incinerated on Thunderbird 5 or 3. All they had were hospital issued scrub-like suits. Hospital staff wrapped John, Alan, and Gordon in blankets for the short trip across the roof to the waiting 'bird in the rainy London weather.**

 **Virgil flew everyone home in Thunderbird 2 at half-speed. Half-speed was still very fast, but he gave his exhausted family such a smooth ride that John fell asleep on the way home.**

 **John's bed had not been slept in for so long that when they landed on Tracy Island, Grandma Tracy ran straight to his room and changed the sheets in case there would be dust.**

 **Once the rest of the family unloaded from Thunderbird 2 in the hanger, Scott grabbed the repair vehicle and gave his brothers a ride across the launch bay to the elevator. Virgil helped John to the front seat of the small vehicle and strapped him in. Then he jogged back and carried Gordon to the vehicle. He sat him on the back and sat next to him with his arm around him in case he might fall.**

 **Brains walked next to John and Kayo brought up the rear.**

 **The Tracy home was buzzing with activity for the next while. When Brains was sure that his three patients were comfortable in their beds he went to his lab.**

 **At two o'clock in the morning, Brains sent Gordon a text message that said, _'the pool will be ready for you to begin your exercises in the morning, Gordon.'_**

 **Gordon woke when his phone beeped. He wasn't sleeping well anyway his legs still felt very heavy, and it felt weird just to turn over in bed. He thought, that would be nice to swim, but I hope I don't drown myself.**

* * *

 **RECOVERY**

* * *

 **"I wish I could go swimming!" Alan said, "But Gordon, are you sure you should be swimming again with the burns you got swimming in that plant's digestive juices?"**

 **"I wasn't swimming in that plant!" Gordon splashed Alan. "Brains made some changes to the water in the pool. Something about lowering the chlorine levels and adding something he made that he calls, Therapy Enhancer. He said both of us should swim in the pool for our exercise. Just cap off your drainage tubes and jump in."**

 **"Are you sure it'll be okay?" Alan closed off the little plastic valves on the implants in his leg while they talked.**

 **"FAB!" Alan yelled and jumped high, performing a cannonball that splashed Gordon.**

 **They had only swum for a few minutes when the red lights in the pool area began rotating and flashing, and the signal bell sounded.**

 **"We better get out, Gordon," Alan said, "Scott is coming in for a landing from last night's mission in Brazil. He must be exhausted."**

 **"No, don't get out!" Gordon said and took tight hold of Alan's hand. "This is great!"**

 **Alan pulled on Gordon's hand trying to get to the side of the pool. "But Gordon! Scott says we should get out - we can always jump back in after he's landed."**

 **"What's the fun in that?" Gordon asked as the pool began moving. Alan kicked hard, trying for the side and Gordon said, "Too late! You'll be cut in half when it closes on us! Trust me!"**

 **The brother's heads were getting very close to the sidewalk's edge as the pool retracted. Gordon said, "Hold your breath!"**

 **Alan took a deep breath as Gordon pulled him under. They swam under the sidewalk and waited under the water. Gordon gave him an 'Okay?' signal with his hand and Alan shook his head 'No,' just as he lost a lot of bubbles.**

 **Gordon pointed up and kicked to the surface. He pulled Alan up into the spidery darkness under the foundation. Their hair touched the beams under the low patio beams.**

 **"What are you doing! Trying to drown me?" Alan choked.**

 **"I can stay down until it comes back out." Gordon bragged. "Don't worry. There's enough room for wimps like you to take another breath here before the pool goes back out. Get ready!"**

 **Alan took the deepest breath ever and went under with Gordon again. The sound of Thunderbird 1's engines drowned out the noise of the motors that retracted the pool.**

 **Alan gave Gordon a desperate, 'Okay?' sign with his hand and Gordon answered with a flat palm and then held up his index finger, meaning – ' _wait one more minute.'_**

 **Thunderbird 1's nose cone was the last to disappear into the ground and the pool slowly closed. Gordon and Alan came above the surface of the water as soon as they were clear of the sidewalk.**

 **Alan coughed a couple of times, and splashed Gordon saying, "You're right, that was awesome!" Alan admitted.**

 **"Hey Gordon, how are you feeling? Are your legs getting stronger?"**

 **"Oh yeah! Soon after I got in the pool this morning, I started feeling much better." Gordon said.**

 **"You, Alan?" Gordon asked.**

 **"Me too," Alan said, "My leg is still a little sore in places, but my knee is working much better."**

 **"We'll be back saving the world in no time," Gordon said.**

 **"Let's hope the world is not in danger," Alan answered.**

* * *

 **LOST IN SPACE**

* * *

 **If an AI could experience boredom, EOS would have been. With no John, no calls for rescue, no calls from Tracy Island, no word even from Ridley, EOS sat for hours at a time in complete silence. With the main thrusters inoperative, Thunderbird 5 drifted slowly in random directions.**

 **She only took an occasional break from her solitude to talk to the life support system once she had it back online.**

 **"I've been here alone for hours since John's brothers took him and his little brother for medical care." EOS said, "I've been tracing circuits, patching relays and using the loading claw as well as I could, to repair or at least secure the broken external parts of Thunderbird 5."**

 **"Do you think they forgot about me?" EOS said, "But on a brighter note, I think I have the communications module repaired."**

 **"Hmm, it's almost suppertime on Earth, they should all be gathered, according to past behavior." EOS had thought before she activated the comms.**

 **EOS' voice came through, "Tracy Island?"**

 **"Tracy Island, this is EOS," she repeated when no one responded in the millisecond that she gave them.**

 **"EOS good to hear from you! Congratulations on getting the comms up." Virgil answered from a sofa. He was reading the specs for a new idea Brains had for his 'bird.**

 **"How is John?" EOS asked.**

 **"He has a headache. He's still on some pain medicine, but he will be just fine thanks to you, EOS," Scott said. He sat across from Virgil looking through a newly updated GDF Operations Manual supplied by Colonel Casey.**

 **"How long will it be before you can get Thunderbird 5 back to Earth?" EOS asked.**

 **"Do you miss John, EOS?" Alan asked with his mouth full of his second supper.**

 **"Of course, I guess that's what you'd call it. I've grown accustomed to John's presence, and the world needs him. Thunderbird 5 is pretty useless right now."**

 **"We need to wait until John is feeling well enough to help us make repairs on Thunderbird 5 and tow it home," Scott said. "We've been taking turns as Space Monitor from Tracy Island."**

 **"I think he'd rather that we would tow Thunderbird 5 in for repairs now, rather than leave her out there alone any longer," Alan argued.**

 **Alan walked with only a slight limp. He went over to the sofa, picked Gordon's legs up and sat down, plopping his brother's feet in his lap.**

 **"Hey, why'd you wake me up?" Gordon said with a magazine covering his face.**

 **"EOS has contacted us!" Alan said to Gordon.**

 **"FAB," Gordon said, yawning and not moving the magazine.**

 **"Gordon's lack of interest in the world around him aside, let's go ask John what he wants us to do," Virgil said.**

 **Scott spoke into the comms, "Brains, come in."**

 **"I'm here Scott."**

 **"Is John awake?"**

 **"Yes, he was when I checked on him thirteen minutes ago."**

 **"Let's go talk to him," Virgil said. He was the first to get up off of the sofa.**

 **John was resting in his Earth-bound bedroom when his brothers came banging through the door. John startled, dropping what he was reading.**

 **"You guys sure aren't quiet when coming into a sick room."**

 **"You aren't sick - you just got your bell rung," Virgil said.**

 **"Whatever, you guys aren't helping."**

 **"A friend of yours has a question for you," Scott said.**

 **"A friend of mine?" John asked, sounding a little puzzled.**

 **"John, when will you come back to Thunderbird 5?"**

 **"EOS! It's good to hear your voice." John said.**

 **"Do you want to wait until you feel better to go get Thunderbird 5?" Virgil interrupted.**

 **"Or do you want us to go get her and tow her back in the morning?" Alan added.**

 **"We can go now to get her - It would be good to see EOS again," John said, starting to get out of bed.**

 **"Thank you, John," EOS said.**

 **Virgil blocked his brother and gently, but forcefully 'helped' John lay back down. John shot him a dirty look.**

 **"Not 'we'! You can't go in space - especially on such a long trip!" he said.**

 **"It's too soon. Brains is already threatening to tie you to your bed." Scott said.**

 **"You guys can do all the work. I'll take it easy - I promise," John begged.**

 **"No way, if you want Thunderbird 5 home now we'll go get her while you rest," Alan said.**

 **"Maybe Brains won't be so nervous if you go up when it's back in Earth's orbit and you aren't a six hour 'round trip away."**

 **"FAB, all the gravity is getting to me down here. Did you ever find the space elevator or anything left of it after the explosion?"**

 **"No, it blew to smithereens, but Brains is working on what he calls a 'new and improved' model," Virgil said.**

 **"Can you guys go get Thunderbird 5 and EOS for me then?" John asked.**

 **"FAB, John. Alan can fly up with Gordon in the morning and tow Thunderbird 5 home," Scott said, "Virgil, Kayo and I will be available if anything comes up."**

 **"Yeah! We'll leave early and be back by lunch!" Alan said excitedly.**

 **"Alan," John said, "Are you feeling well enough to go? How is your leg?"**

 **"I'm fine, thanks to you John." Alan leaned down and gave his brother a hug. "I still have drainage tubes in the back of my calf, but they don't hurt. Brains said as soon as the bandages are clean of disintegrating plant gunk when he changes them, he'll take the tubes out."**

 **"That's good, I guess. And a little gross too. I'm glad you're feeling better." John said sounding a little sleepy.**

 **"See John - you're still too weak to go. Get some rest tonight. I know you'll want to go to your office as soon as Alan and Gordon return tomorrow."**

 **"I'm not weak. I think it's the painkillers they gave me at the hospital, that Brains is still cramming down my throat."**

 **"It won't hurt you - let Brains care for you," Scott said.**

 **"Unless you want me to come make sure you behave," Virgil added.**

 **"No, Brains is enough - I promise," John said, yawning.**

 **"Here's some fresh ice water for the night, John," Alan said when he sat a newly filled pitcher on his nightstand.**

 **"FAB, Goodnight all," John said. Alan straightened his covers before he left.**

 **"Thank you, John," EOS said.**

 **"I look forward to seeing you, EOS," John said as he drifted off to sleep.**

 **Alan went out to the control center and sat on Gordon's belly, waking him up more abruptly than he had when he picked up his legs.**

 **"Hey! What gives?" Gordon complained.**

 **"I woke you up to make you go to bed."**

 **"Really? That sounds stupid, Alan," Gordon teased.**

 **"You'll sleep better in your bed - and you and I have an early morning mission in space!" Alan said, and stood up. "Come on!"**

* * *

 **INTRUDERS ON 5**

* * *

 **At Midnight, John's personal comm beeped softly, but he awakened right away when he heard EOS' signal.**

 **"EOS?" he whispered.**

 **"John, there is someone here, trying to get into Thunderbird 5! They say they need help, but I can read no problem with their ship or life signs. What do you want me to do?"**

 **"I can't believe it! What is someone doing way out there? We can get there in three hours, but it would take anyone else over a week. Can you tell who they are - does it look like The Hood or The Mechanic?"**

 **"No, not like them at all. I'm not even sure that this pair is Human - or from Earth!"**

 **"I'll be there as soon as I can," John said.**

 **"You should not come alone - do you want me to wake Scott?" EOS said.**

 **"No, the others need their sleep and Scott the most! After he had lost blood to that plant at the botanical gardens, he was called to help with a fire in Brazil by the GDF. He was gone all of last night and only came back this morning.**

 **"I'm sure whoever you have out there is just looking for help, and if I need to, I can call Ridley. Global one is still closer than anyone else."**

 **"What should I do?" EOS asked.**

 **"Keep scanning and talking to them. If you do have to let them in to save their lives, only give them access to the airlock area - and don't let them know what you are - and make sure they don't see you!"**

 **"Okay John, hurry," EOS said.**

 **First, John ripped the splint off of his hand. In only a minute, John was in his full space suit with his helmet on his hip. He jogged to Thunderbird three and climbed the ladder quickly like he felt great. The launch sequence began, thrusters fired, and Three shot toward space.**

 **In the living areas, the launch made such a faint sound that no one heard it - except Alan. He sat straight up in bed and said, "Someone just launched my ship!"**

 **Alan cried, "Thunderbird 3 come in!"**

 **"Thunderbird 3, this is base - come in." He repeated.**

 **"Go back to bed Alan," was John's simple answer.**

 **"What are you doing John? Gordon and I would have left in less than five hours from now!"**

 **"EOS said someone is trying to get on board my station," John said.**

 **"All the more reason you should not go alone!" Alan cried desperately.**

 **"I'll be fine - go back to sleep, Alan."**

 **"Yeah - right. You come back and get us!" Alan had his pants on and was running with a slight limp to Scott's bedroom.**

 **"I'm not coming back now, and I'm not risking any of you! None of you are recovered enough to go to space." John closed the connection.**

 **Alan said, "You aren't ready to get out of bed, let alone go to space!" But he said it too late for John to hear him. Alan arrived at Scott's bedroom door, and yelled, "Scott!"**

 **Alan yelled and pounded on Scott's door loudly enough to wake Virgil across the hall.**

 **"Scott!" Alan yelled again.**

 **"Whats going on Alan? I was having the best dream." Virgil said, trying to smooth his hair.**

 **Scott came out of his room too, and Alan yelled, "John's gone!"**

 **"Gone where?" Scott said sleepily.**

 **"Where do you think? He took Thunderbird 3!" Alan yelled.**

 **"What is he thinking?" Virgil asked.**

 **"Why did he go alone?" Scott questioned.**

 **"He said he didn't want to risk anyone else, that Thunderbird 5 is his and he would save it alone!" Alan explained.**

 **"But we already had plans to go get it in just a few hours. What made John think he had to go now?"**

 **"EOS called and told him that someone is there, trying to get in and access Thunderbird 5's systems."**

 **"Alright! How will we get there to help him?" Virgil asked, "We don't have another Thunderbird that can catch up to him!"**

 **"First, we go wake Brains!" Scott said. Virgil and Scott geared up. Alan went to wake Gordon, and then they geared up to meet the others in Brains' lab.**

 **"Thunderbird 3 to Thunderbird 5," John called after he left the Earth's atmosphere.**

 **"Yes John," EOS answered.**

 **"How are you doing?" John asked, while reaching across to change the controls. Piloting Thunderbird 3 with only one hand was not easy.**

 **"Just fine - I have denied them access. The hatches are electrified, and the docks locked down. I told them that this station could not help them unless they tell us exactly what their problems are. I've also told them I've radioed for help for them, but they still insist on coming on board."**

 **"What are they doing now?" John asked.**

 **"They are still trying to get in. They speak kindly and beg. They must think that I can't see what they are doing. Their actions are not friendly."**

 **"I know from personal experience how hard you can make it for them to get in. Keep up the good work. I'm on my way."**

 **"John!" EOS cried suddenly - then there was silence.**

 **"EOS! What happened?" John cried, "Talk to me!"**

 **After several moments of nerve wracking silence, EOS' voice came over the comm, "Security threat detected, accessing backup systems and cleaning. Threat removed. Rewriting changes - reverting. John, I have regained control of my program!"**

 **"EOS, what happened?" John asked sounding worried.**

 **"They broke into the comms array and tried to give Thunderbird 5 - and me, a computer virus!"**

 **"Are you alright now?"**

 **"Yes John, for now. I don't think they're going to give up. That virus was unlike anything I've ever seen my usual antivirus measures didn't detect it."**

 **A chorus of frightened voices interrupted John and EOS.**

 **"John! Come back!" Scott ordered.**

 **"Are you crazy?" Gordon asked.**

 **"Don't do this alone!" Alan insisted.**

 **"You should not do this! We're a family - and a team!" Scott said.**

 **"Why did you think you needed to do this alone?" Virgil asked.**

 **"No need to put you guys in danger. It's my station, and I'll take care of it without risking any of you."**

 **"When I said to Ridley that we would all save our ships if we could, without endangering others, I didn't mean this!" Scott said.**

 **"I know Scott, don't worry. I'll be back with Thunderbird 5 in no time." John promised and closed the channel, leaving his family feeling worse than they did before.**

* * *

 **THE SKIPPER**

* * *

 **"I don't believe he just did that!" Scott growled. He sounded angry, but he was just afraid for John.**

 **"Brains - how can we get to John? - Fast!" Virgil asked.**

 **"I'm thinking. . . " Brains answered. "We just don't have anything as fast as Thunderbird 3 that can go to space!"**

 **MAX beeped and shivered all over, excitedly.**

 **"What's going on with MAX?" Virgil said.**

 **"He's suggesting something I've been working on with Alan." Brains said. "Alan, is it okay if I tell them?"**

 **"Sure," Alan said, "If you think it can help - it's not ready. It doesn't even have life support."**

 **"What is it Brains?" Scott asked impatiently.**

 **"It's Alan's racing shuttle, but as fast as it is, it won't be as fast as Thunderbird 3." Brains said.**

 **"What shuttle?" Gordon asked.**

 **"The prototype that Alan and I are working on for the GDF's First Annual Space Race, next year."**

 **"This is the first I've heard of it!" Scott said.**

 **"Alan wanted to surprise you all. He loves auto racing and when he heard that the GDF was planning a Space Race for charity he wanted to enter, and I agreed to help him. Although he's done almost all of the work without me."**

 **"I call it the Space Skipper!" Alan said excitedly.**

 **"How far along is it? Would it still be faster than a GDF vehicle at least?"**

 **"Oh yes, if it works as designed it will be fast, but it also only seats one."**

 **"I should go." Virgil interrupted quickly. "I have no injuries that I'm recovering from."**

 **"I'm going," Scott argued.**

 **"I'm the astronaut here!" Alan argued, "and it's my shuttle!"**

 **"But John may have intruders, and he will need mechanical help to bring Thunderbird 5 home. I am the best choice to help with both."**

 **"But you have zero experience as an astronaut other than an occasional ride along and Kayo is our expert on intruders." Alan argued, "And I'm familiar with repairing all of Thunderbird 5's systems."**

 **"Stop arguing - I'm going!" Scott said. "Brains, how soon can I leave?"**

 **"I'd like to say no - you can't leave, but I know you will anyway. MAX, please get the shuttle fueled up."**

 **MAX sped away, and Brains continued his instructions.**

 **"Scott, you will have to rely on your suit's oxygen and your space suit for survival, it has no life support yet, and I'm not even sure the hull won't breach."**

 **"I have to try. Alert Colonel Casey. Maybe she can have one of her shuttles follow me in case I run into trouble - they can help me when they get there."**

 **"Just call Captain O'Bannon, she's a little closer," Alan suggested.**

 **Scott gave Alan a dirty look for even his thought of calling Ridley.**

 **"If you leave in ten minutes, you'll still get to Thunderbird 5 one hour and thirty-eight minutes after John should get there, and that's if the prototype doesn't give you any problems." Brains informed Scott.**

 **"FAB - um," Scott said wondering how to say it.**

 **Alan interrupted, "How about Thunderbird SS Is Go!"**

 **"FAB Alan," Scott said. "Thunderbird Space Skipper is Go!"**

 **The four brothers and Brains hopped on a tool hauler, and Alan drove them to the Space Skipper's bay.**

 **The white hauler, lined with tool boxes on both sides, squealed to a stop in front of an old pod. Brains and Alan used the old storage pod to build the shuttle while hiding it until it was ready. Gordon, Virgil, and Scott jumped off of the back of the vehicle where they'd been sitting on the tool boxes.**

 **"Now, Scott - be very careful getting in and out. We haven't even finished the inside and the edges where the metal is still sharp in places." Brains said, "A tear in your suit after you are in space would be very bad."**

 **"Yeah, I'll be careful," Scott promised.**

 **MAX pulled the 'Skipper' out to Thunderbird 2's launch pad and got out of the way. The others watched from the launch bay door as Skipper's engine's fired and shot it into the sky.**

 **"Whoa!" Scott said, "This thing is fast!" His body was pinned to the seat as the g-forces increased. In no time the Skipper broke through the Earth's atmosphere.**

* * *

 **HIJACKERS**

* * *

 **"EOS, I'm here, what is your situation?" John called over the Comm to Thunderbird 5.**

 **"Situation same as it was last we spoke, but they have not tried to infect us again," EOS confirmed.**

 **"That is a weird looking ship. It looks like it's been built out of parts from many ships and I don't recognize any part of it." John admitted.**

 **"EOS, are they back on their ship? I don't see them," John called.**

 **"Scanners don't see them either. They must be on their ship and have some way of blocking anyone trying to scan them.**

 **John left Thunderbird 3 to space walk to his station. "I'll get inside, and we will figure out what to do, EOS."**

 **"Okay, John, but why don't you dock?"**

 **"Docking would make a weak spot in your defenses and make Thunderbird 3 less secure."**

 **"But you will be in danger when you come over."**

 **"Thunderbird 3, lockdown protocol John-5-7-30," John said, and the rocket covered it's windows in metal shielding and electrified its hull.**

 **"I'm on my way to the forward hatch, EOS," John said, ignoring EOS's concern.**

 **"I'll open it when you get there, John."**

 **John used his suit jets to propel himself quickly to Thunderbird 5. When suddenly he pulled up short. When the pair suddenly appeared in his path.**

 **"Hello, red rocket! We were hoping someone would come back for this station. We've been having a devil of a time getting inside."**

 **John heard the message on his helmet comm channel.**

 **John guessed that he was a him, from his deep voice and the way he dressed in a long black coat and dark, dirty wide-brimmed hat.**

 **"But you're in space with no space suit! How are you alive?" John asked.**

 **The nose and mouth of the intruder's face were covered in an apparatus that looked like it was made of metal, and had tubes coming from each side and going inside his trench coat. But the other, presumably female had nothing covering her face. She had sharp, cold features, big, beautiful purple eyes and was completely bald.**

 **"You don't need to be inside without permission - that would be trespassing," John said.**

 **"I assure you, we do need to be inside. Now show us how to get inside our new station." The person who sounded female said. When John saw her face from the side, he saw she had a most unusual feature. She had a small panel of tiny colorful lights over each of her pointed ears and embedded right into her scalp.**

 **"This is not your station, and it's not for sale!" John said, "Who are you?"**

 **"I'm Jaan Trill, and this is Aaha Trill," said the humanoid with a male voice and dark colored dirty wide-brimmed hat.**

 **"What are you doing here?" John said, thinking to himself that EOS was right, he wasn't sure that this pair were from Earth either. They were as used and dirty as their ship.**

 **"We're pirates today I suppose. Sometimes we're bounty hunters, sometimes assassins. You know, whatever is paying the most."**

 **"EOS, stay in lockdown no matter what happens," John ordered.**

 **"Who's EOS? You mean someone is on board? Our scans did not pick up any life signs. We thought the voice we heard before was a recording."**

 **"She is good at hiding."**

 **"Hmmm, she? I haven't had good female companionship in way too long."**

 **"What about her?" John asked, gesturing toward his companion.**

 **"This is my sister, not my girlfriend," Jaan said.**

 **"Now, let's get down to business - get us on board," Aaha demanded.**

 **John used his suit jets to move away from the intruders and back to Three, to get away from the couple.**

 **Effortlessly Jaan flew toward John, and with complete control, in zero G. He grabbed John's boots and flung John back to Aaha. She let John close line himself on her arm. Abruptly changing his direction and spinning him in space.**

 **John frantically tried to use his suit jets to regain control, but there wasn't time. His head was literally spinning, and it took every bit of control he had to keep from throwing up.**

 **His spin came to an abrupt stop when his body collided with the comms array panel, causing sparks to fly from the panel - and from his oxygen system.**

 **"You just broke all of my hard repair work," EOS whispered, "John, are you okay?"**

 **"Just fine EOS but I'm losing oxygen fast," John righted himself in Zero G holding either side of his helmet with both hands. He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily as the pain in his head from the abrupt stop on the array intensified.**

 **"Aaha - restrain him!" Jaan ordered.**

 **She shot toward John, body slamming him into the hull before he even saw her coming.**

 **"Aghh-nnnna!" John cried in surprise and pain. Aaha grabbed John from behind in a choke hold and held a short pry bar near John's helmet, "Don't struggle!" she whispered as she moved them to the hatch.**

 **"Okay, whoever's in there, let us inside, or I'll break his helmet - it's not a nice way to die!"**

 **"No - EOS don't do it! We can't let them on Thunderbird 5!" John begged.**

 **"Sorry John - you are running out of oxygen even if she doesn't break your helmet - I can't lose you!" EOS said and opened the aft hatch.**

 **"Smart choice whoever you are," Jaan said and entered, floating effortlessly in Zero G. He floated on through the Command Module and into the ring, looking around.**

 **"Show yourself EOS. I'd really like to meet you," Jaan said.**

 **Aaha followed, holding John in a chokehold from behind. The inner airlock hatch slammed shut.**

 **"Does this place have life support?" Aaha asked when she entered the Gravity Ring.**

 **"Yes," EOS answered simply.**

 **"I suggest you get it turned on - your boyfriend will need it." Jaan nodded to Aaha, and she jabbed with the short bar, breaking John's face plate and cutting his cheek just under his eye.**

 **John reeled, gasped for air and Aaha pushed him against the nearest wall.**

 **"Hang on John! Life support just came on line!" EOS promised.**

 **While John found that he could breathe again, Aaha, with what John thought was near super human strength pinned and tied his hands behind his back with a heavy plastic zip tie.**

 **"What are you doing? You'll never get away with this!" John cried. he was blinking, frantically trying to see through the blood to be sure both eyes worked.**

 **"Making sure that you don't try anything cute," Aaha said.**

 **Thunderbird 5's hull was cold against John's bloody cheek, and the zip tie cut sharply into his wrists. He turned his head so he could watch the intruders.**

 **"Hey! EOS!" Jaan yelled, "Doesn't this place have artificial gravity?"**

 **"Yes, but John doesn't like to use it," EOS answered.**

 **"John isn't in command anymore!" Aaha grabbed John by his neck with her long fingers and pulled him over to her, "You better start doing what we say, or I start taking this guy apart - a limb at a time!"**

 **Still holding him by his neck Aaha seductively ran her palm down his leg. John tensed, repulsed and fearful. When Aaha came to his knee, she pushed her long sharp, black fingernails through his suit and into his skin.**

 **"Ahgnnnnn!" John groaned loudly through his clenched teeth.**

 **"STOP! Let him go!" EOS cried, and then screamed, "AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!" Long and loudly she childishly screamed through every speaker on board.**

 **Aaha let go of John to cover her ears. Covering his ears too, Jaan dropped the wrench he'd been using and yelled, "What is that! I want it dead!"**

 **The Gravity ring started to spin, John went to the floor lying on his side. Since his hands were tied behind his back, he couldn't cover his ears, and EOS knew it - so she didn't scream as loudly as she could have.**

 **With John's helmet broken, EOS could no longer secretly talk to him without Aaha and Jaan hearing her. She watched John as he tried to regain his composure.**

 **EOS turned all of the indicator lights off of whatever camera she was using to keep herself hidden. No lights and not allowing her mobile cameras to move at all was working, they had no idea that she was watching their every move.**

 **"Spinning this ring is the only gravity you have? How quaint is that?" Jaan said.**

 **Aaha and Jaan moved back to the nearest console Aaha took the wrench from Jaan and got on her back to look at the console's base trying to see how to take it apart, and Jaan was pushing random buttons.**

 **John's head was pounding, but he watched them, trying to think of some way to incapacitate them. They were both the same height, and both a foot taller than John. He thought, where are these two from?"**

 **"Come out! Wherever you are, EOS," Jaan called suddenly remembering, "I would love to meet you!"**

 **"No! EOS don't answer him!" John yelled.**

 **Aaha was at John's side in an instant, pulling him to his feet, intending to punish him for his words with a backhand across his face, but most of the strike hit his broken helmet. Hitting helmet made her angry. She ripped John's helmet from his head, scraping his jaw as she did it. She threw the broken helmet, and it hit the wall.**

 **She roughly pulled John to her by his equipment belt pulling back her fist again. John turned his head and closed his eyes, expecting an explosion of pain to follow.**

 **"Wait! Aaha," Jaan ordered, "We need him to be awake to show us around his station."**

 **But she didn't stop her attack. Instead of punching him in the face, she redirected her punch to his abdomen. John groaned and brought his knees up in a fetal position. He pulled angrily at the tie keeping his hands behind his back.**

 **"I like your hair, human - the bald spot is a great idea. Of course as you can see I went all the way!" Aaha grabbed a handful of John's hair and pulled his head back while she spoke to him.**

 **"Where is EOS?" Jaan ordered, "I would still like to meet her - I have a game in mind to play with her."**

 **EOS panicked when John was hit again. She muted all comms in the station so the intruders wouldn't hear and called Tracy Island. "This is EOS! Come in!"**

 **"This is Scott, EOS - where's John?"**

 **"They're hurting him! They've tied him up - They - I couldn't help him!" EOS said quickly.**

 **"I'm on my way, but I'm afraid I'm still fifty minutes out." Scott said, "What are John's injuries?"**

 **"They keep hitting him and throwing him around - they have his hands tied behind his back! And they continue the rough treatment. Why are they doing this to him?" EOS sounded genuinely fearful.**

 **"I don't know EOS. Try to do whatever you can - I know you will," Scott said. "I'll get there as soon as I can!"**

* * *

 **EOS tuned back into the Gravity Ring in time to hear John say, "I'm not telling you where EOS is, she does like to play games, but not the kind I think you mean!"**

 **Aaha left John's side to return to take the console apart. John kneeled, leaning against the wall and trying to get his hands apart.**

 **"It's really not up to her. Where is she?" Jaan insisted.**

 **"I'm sure EOS has already called for help - the GDF and my brothers will be here soon." John changed the subject.**

 **"We made our scans from our ship and found that there isn't any life on any planet or asteroid near here. Even if you are not lying and someone is on the way, we still have plenty of time to do whatever we want, so I suggest you cooperate Spaceman."**

 **"You couldn't find EOS either. Your equipment must be defective! You are not getting my station!" John said bravely. His insides were shaking so hard he was afraid they'd see.**

 **"We _were_ just going to pick it clean of anything valuable, but now we're going to take this station and that fancy red rocket you showed up in."**

 **"I'll get ready to tow them," Aaha said.**

 **"No Aaha, we're going to destroy our ship. Get all the stuff we want to keep and bring it in here. EOS, if you're listening, fix it so we can dock with this station or you know what will happen to your boyfriend."**

 **EOS responded, but kept herself hidden, not turning on any lights or allowing her mobile camera to move. "It is done. You can now dock with this station. Where do you think you will take it and Thunderbird 3 where we can't find you? International Rescue and the GDF will never stop looking."**

 **"What is the GDF?" Aaha asked.**

 **"The Global Defense Force," John answered quickly, wondering why she didn't know that.**

 **"Ah, just Global? To be of any concern for us, they'd have to be called the Interstellar Defense Force." Aaha laughed.**

 **"My brothers will find you then!" John tried one last time.**

* * *

 **To be Continued . . .**


	8. Chapter 8

**EOS, My life is in Your Hands 8**

 **I don't own anyone or anything.**

 **~crystalquirt**

 **When I go back and read what I wrote, I think I still have a lot of problems. And Grammarly is not helping - I'm so sorry I bought a whole year's subscription to it. Does anyone see what I mean? I could use some advice ^.^))**

 **SPACE RACE**

 **Threatening John, the female hijacker said, "Yeah, all your brothers or anyone else will find is your dead body floating in space, if they find that much."**

 **"Now where is this girl you call EOS? I want to take her with me on the red rocket!" The male hijacker, Jaan laughed.**

 **"Come find me if you think you can," EOS taunted. John looked worried, and cried, "EOS, don't take any chances!"**

 **"Don't worry John - You know how I enjoy a good game," EOS answered playfully.**

 **"Come on out baby, I know you'll like my game then," Jaan sounded dangerous when he said it.**

 **Entering the airlock, Aaha rolled her eyes at her brother's ability to waste time. She went out to her old ship intending to go through their belongings and bring the ship to Thunderbird 5 for docking.**

 **Carefully planning and anticipating where Jaan would look, EOS stayed one step ahead of him. She made giggling sounds. Using the communications systems, EOS made her voice seem to come from somewhere ahead of Jaan. She opened cabinet doors and flashed screens to keep Jaan guessing and moving away from John until she coaxed him into the Command Module.**

 **"You wanted a game? Here you go," EOS said too softly for Jaan to hear.**

 **Left alone in the Gravity Ring, John couldn't get up off of the floor. The pain he felt was too intense.**

 **"Oh, EOS, remind me to build you some arms when this is all over," John mumbled into the floor not thinking anyone could hear him.**

 **"I heard you, John. Is there anything I can do for you?"**

 **"No, EOS. Thank you for getting Jaan away from me. I just wished you had hands right now to help me up and to untie me."**

 **"Sorry John, you stay put it's essential. Remain in the Gravity Ring." While EOS spoke quietly to John, she slowed the ring to a stop and allowed John to float in Zero G.**

 **"Better?" EOS asked.**

 **"Much better, thank you, EOS." John floated, enjoying the reduced pain he felt in Zero G. After a moment of letting himself relax, he angrily pulled against the plastic ties holding his hands, and renewed pain in his head was his only reward.**

 **With Jaan in the damaged Command Module, EOS put her plan into action.**

 **"I hope you enjoy playing games as much as I do!" EOS yelled from inside the dark area.**

 **"Come on baby, bring it on!" Jaan said excitedly.**

 **"Your ignorance is astounding. I call this game, 'Hang on!'" EOS said.**

 **She brought the loading claw around and aimed it at the repair she'd recently made to the Command Module's hull. She rammed the hull with the closed claw reopening the hull. When she pushed the loading claw inside, EOS closed it around Jaan's body with a slamming sound.**

 **"I'll get you for this!" Jaan yelled.**

 **EOS pulled him out of the Command Module with the claw, like meat from a crab's leg, and flung him into space. EOS could hear him scream until he was far away from the station.**

 **Aaha heard her brother screaming and looked out. She saw him flying away through space and engaged their old ship's engines to go after him. "That idiot!" She groaned.**

 **EOS quickly checked the Gravity Ring for atmospheric leaks as she ran on her camera's track to get back to John.**

 **John was drifting on his back, near the console. "What happened? I thought the station was busting apart."**

 **"There was a breach, and the intruder was sucked out. The Gravity Ring is secure, and I'm sealing the Command Module up again as we speak, with the backing off of a broken solar panel."**

 **"How did we have a breach?" John asked urgently.**

 **EOS answered, "The loading claw just went crazy."**

 **"Went crazy, huh? What about his sister?"**

 **"She went after him with their ship," EOS said.**

 **"Great job, EOS," John said. He smiled at her and relaxed a little. He just floated in Zero G on his back with both eyes closed.**

 **EOS saw five spots of blood on John's suit on his knee, and her lights turned yellow, half anger and half concern for John.**

 **"John?" EOS asked just to be sure he was okay.**

 **"I could really use some of what they gave me in the hospital about now," John said without looking at her.**

 **"Sorry John, we don't even have fully stocked first aid kits since Langstrom Fischler's plants attacked."**

 **"It's okay - I'll survive," John promised.**

 **"How is your knee?" EOS was actively scanning John for injuries and vital signs.**

 **"Hurts, thank you, EOS," John answered.**

 **"Scott should be here any time now," EOS said. "I've been in communication with him."**

 **"That's good, EOS," John mumbled as his one uninjured eye closed. The eye that Aaha nearly poked out when she broke his helmet was swollen and he could no longer open it.**

 **Back on Tracy Island, Kayo came in from her patrol and found everyone still in the hangar. It was just minutes after Scott in the Space Skipper had launched. Brains and Gordon filled her in.**

 **"That is worrisome. Scott isn't much better at self-defence then you are, Gordon."**

 **"Right? I mean - I know," Gordon said. "He is bigger, and gets angrier, though."**

 **"But, I'm worried that self-defense skills won't matter much anyway. If the intruders have malicious intent, Scott may only get there in time to clean up whatever they leave."**

 **"No Kayo - don't even think that!" Gordon argued. "Is there anything you can do?"**

 **"All I can think to do is to get there - I will catch a ride from the GDF. Try not to worry - I'll stay in touch." Kayo promised and ran back to Thunderbird Shadow.**

 **Gordon walked back over to Virgil and said, "Kayo is going to try to catch a lift to follow Scott."**

 **"That's good I guess, but she won't get there until a long time after Scott does," Virgil said.**

 **Gordon, Virgil, and Alan retreated to the Control Room with Brains. He sat at Jeff's desk and brought up a graphical scan of the Space Skipper. As he watched it in flight, he rested his chin in his hand, thinking.**

 **The three brothers brought up the larger display in the round sofa area trying to see Thunderbird 5.**

 **"Nothing, it's just out of range no matter how much we try to boost the power," Gordon said sadly. There was static on each screen he tried.**

 **With two loud beeps, Scott's voice rang out in the Control Room. "Tracy Island, this is Thunderbird Skipper, I guess," Scott frowned.**

 **"Is anything wrong with the shuttle?" Brains asked.**

 **"No, but I just heard from EOS, everything is wrong there. They've captured John. They are hurting him."**

 **"No, why!" Virgil asked. "John isn't usually a fighter."**

 **"They are just mean, I guess." Scott answered, "Brains, is there any way I can get more speed out of this thing?"**

 **"No, as I said, it is not complete - It's barely a prototype. I'm worried about it working at all for this!" Brains said.**

 **"But John is still out there alone!" Scott cried and hit the console. "Dammit!"**

 **"Don't break anything Scott! No punching Alan's shuttle!" Brains scolded.**

 **"Skipper out!" Scott angrily ended the conversation without so much as a FAB.**

 **"Come on you piece of junk! Go faster!" Scott yelled angrily. He pulled down the handle that controlled speed and then shoved it back up, hard. So hard that it broke and came off in his hand.**

 **The shuttle slowed down until it was just drifting in the direction he'd been heading.**

 **"Of all the stupid!" Scott yelled at himself. There was no life support on the shuttle, so he just reached up and opened the canopy. He carefully pulled himself out and turned around to dig behind the seat.**

 **"Yes! Someone left duct tape and baling wire in here! Those will fix anything, right? Or so Virgil says!" Scott said, half teasing trying to lighten his own mood.**

 **He also found a small tool chest fastened to the floor behind the pilot's seat. He opened it and looked through what tools he had. Frowning, he chose pliers and a cement gun. He entered the cockpit again in front of the seat, and head first so he could see behind the dash.**

 **"Tracy Island! COME IN!" Scott screamed angrily. His legs were sticking out of the cockpit, occasionally kicking space.**

 **"This thing just died! Let me talk to Brains - NOW!"**

 **"I'm here Scott, what happened?"**

 **"I just lost all forward drive - the stupid handle came out and now we're dead in space!"**

 **"I told you to treat it gently!" Brains scolded.**

 **"Instead of yelling at me, help me get going again!" Scott yelled impatiently.**

 **"The plastic components on the Skipper are made of a fiber reinforced polyester matrix," Brains said, "Can you see up behind the lever, where it is broken?"**

 **"Yeah Brains, I see it. It's broken in two places, and now this soft blue tube has been pulled in half."**

 **"Oh, that's not good, Scott." Brains said.**

 **"I already know it's not good! Tell me how to fix it - John is counting on us!"**

 **"You will have to use different repair techniques on the ABS and for the load bearing FRPMs. You don't have the skills or the tools to do this!" Brains said.**

 **"Talk me through it, Brains! I have to acquire the skills, now."**

 **"Even if you fix the broken parts of the matrix, you'll have no way to test the transponder and encoding proximity static checks!"**

 **"Is that important?" Virgil asked, standing by Brains.**

 **"It's all important - your ability to control the ship will be compromised!"**

 **"Are you under the dash where you can see the yellow connectors?" Brains asked.**

 **"Yes - I can see that the orange and blue wires came off of the back of the ELT unit."**

 **"That's why you lost your forward propulsion, but don't reconnect that orange wire until last or you could short out the whole ship."**

 **"The instruments aren't working either." Scott continued, taping on the face of one.**

 **"There was an air leak someplace, all of the air is gone. The instruments need air to work. You'll be flying blind."**

 **"Can't I refill the air with one of the oxygen tanks?" Scott said.**

 **"No! Keep every molecule of oxygen you have on board for survival." Brains said.**

 **"You are still on our screens here. We can help you get on an exact course for Thunderbird 5, but once you're out of our scanner's range, you'll be flying blind." Brains said.**

 **"Not flying blind - Flying on instinct! You can do it, Scott!" Alan encouraged.**

 **ATTACK OF THUNDERBIRD 5**

 **After positioning the old ship in her brother's path, Aaha opened the cargo doors and waited for him drift inside before she closed them. The inside of the ship had no atmosphere, and an airlock wasn't necessary.**

 **"Where to now?" Aaha asked.**

 **"Back to that station! We will cut our way inside if we have to," Jaan said.**

 **"But a hull breach will damage the station even more and kill the human. Are you sure that you are done with him?"**

 **"I'm done," Jaan said.**

 **"I'd kinda like him. He looks . . . Interesting," Aaha said.**

 **"It's been a while since you had a live test subject," Jaan acknowledged.**

 **"I wonder if offspring is possible between a human and me?"**

 **"You aren't going to mate with him are you?" Jaan said, looking disgusted.**

 **"Of course not - I'll take what I need surgically, while he's awake of course - so I can monitor his reactions."**

 **"You call it science, but I think you just like making other beings suffer."**

 **"Could be," Aaha admitted.**

 **"It runs in our family. Let's get back to that station," Jaan said.**

 **It only took minutes for them to get their old ship back to Thunderbird 5. They stopped close by the Ring which EOS had dark and stopped.**

 **John was just drifting around inside the Ring. His eyes were closed, but he wore a frown that showed how much pain he was experiencing. EOS kept an eye on him. Also, she was acutely aware that their intruders had returned.**

 **She locked down and electrified all of the external controls and openings and had the loading claw ready.**

 **Outside, Jaan observed, "It's dark. Maybe they've lost power?"**

 **"Maybe," Aaha answered, "Before you start cutting it up, try the hatch."**

 **Aaha spoke to her brother through comms that were implanted into her skull. Jaan had them too, but his were hidden under the hat he wore at all times.**

 **Aaha was pulling herself along the Ring looking for her new test subject. She shined a powerful light inside as she went. She had started only a few feet from where John was floating, but fortunately for John, went the wrong way when she began searching.**

 **Even EOS noticed that the light Aaha used, cast eerie shadows around Thunderbird 5.**

 **Jaan grabbed the handle for manual aft hatch control, went stiff and shook all over. It took all the strength he had to let go of the handle.**

 **"Aaha! Careful about touching anything - this hatch is electrified at a much higher current than before."**

 **Inside, EOS watched the intruders with her security camera's lights turned on. They were the only lights on in the station, and they were bright red.**

 **EOS switched to take over two of the outside security cameras and turned both camera's lights on, with red lights.**

 **EOS whispered on the internal comms, "Sorry John, I can't hide anymore."**

 **John was drifting between sleep and unconsciousness so he didn't hear her and couldn't argue. EOS ran both cameras on the tracks and placed one camera in front of Aaha and one in front of Jaan.**

 **She said to both intruders, "You were looking for me - I AM EOS." Her voice became louder when she stated who she was.**

 **"You are EOS then? What are you?" Jaan asked.**

 **"I am the Dawn, and I will not be stopped. John's preservation is Priority One."**

 **"Hey Aaha, I guess my playmate really is some sort of AI, just as I first thought."**

 **"Right Jaan, but my test subject is entirely alive and inside - I want him."**

 **"Don't worry. I hear he comes with the station."**

 **"Do not underestimate me," EOS said, her voice dark and dangerous. "You will not win this. John is trying to teach me sportsmanship - So I give you this one chance to leave this game."**

 **Jaan took a tool from inside his long coat that looked like a thick laser cutter and adjusted it to be about a foot long. He tried just jamming it into the outer see through hull on the Ring, but instead of going through the beam disappeared in a shower of sparks.**

 **"I don't know what this is made of, but I'll need something stronger than this to cut our way inside!"**

 **"I see that you do want to keep playing - Good!" EOS said. The gravity ring began moving, slowly.**

 **Inside Thunderbird 5 EOS spoke to John,**

 **"Can you hear me, John?"**

 **"What?" John mumbled. His eyelids fluttered but didn't not open. He was having trouble waking up.**

 **"Get to the outer hull and get ready for me to turn on the gravity," EOS directed.**

 **He didn't make a move as she instructed, so she gradually made the ring turn faster, slowly increasing the gravity until John was lying on his stomach, in a position to survive what she was about to do.**

 **EOS lights turned green, and she said, "Please hang in there John. We have fleas on the Gravity Ring that I need to scratch." Then she returned outside.**

 **EOS' WAR**

 **The Ring spun faster and faster. John groaned and managed to turn over on his back. "EOS? My head," he whispered, "What's going on?" He hadn't heard anything that she said.**

 **Inside, EOS checked on him and saw him pass out. She turned her focus back outside. Aaha had rejoined her brother at the spot where he was still trying to cut through.**

 **"This clear part should be easier to cut into, but so far that hasn't been the case," Aaha said.**

 **The intruders had to hang on as the Gravity Ring spun faster. Aaha tried an impact hammer from her tool belt and was actually able to crack the hull, so she did it again.**

 **The pair got excited, and Jaan tried his laser cutter again, inserting it in the crack on the outer layer.**

 **"You two should have left. When you lose this game, you will lose everything," EOS was only a few feet away watching them, with her red lights glowing intensely.**

 **Jaan and Aaha ignored EOS. The Ring was spinning faster and faster, increasing the Gravity that John had to endure and they had to hold on.**

 **EOS worked quickly. She brought the loading claw to the ring and positioned it horizontally over the clear outer hull. The pair of hijackers went under the loading claw the first time not even noticing it. They were concentrating on trying to break through.**

 **On the next time around, the claw hit them hard and wiped the intruders off of the Gravity Ring as efficiently as new windshield wipers on FAB 1 takes care of bugs.**

 **Jaan screamed as they were hit and thrown out through space. Aaha had been leaning down, trying to break through the hull. She was hit in the head, and sparks flew from her implants when the devices were destroyed. She looked like a rag doll flying through space, and her brother continued screaming as he tried to get control of himself.**

 **EOS watched them until they were out of her scanning range. While she watched, she also slowed the ring down as quickly as she could, without stopping so fast that John would go flying.**

 **"John, are you alright? " EOS asked as he began to float again and the Ring was stopped. "John?" She yelled.**

 **" What happened? I think I passed out."**

 **"I'm sorry - you did lose consciousness for a short time - but I had to do that," EOS answered. "Your survival is priority one."**

 **"Thank you EOS, are they still out there?"**

 **"Somewhere, maybe. I hope they won't be back this time."**

 **"Scott!" EOS said suddenly. She switched comms back on so that John could hear too.**

 **"I made it, EOS!" Scott answered, "Where is John?"**

 **"He's right here," EOS said.**

 **"John, are you hanging in there?"**

 **"I'm okay, Scott and delighted to hear your voice. EOS, is it safe if he docks?"**

 **"Yes, of course," EOS answered, "I'll assist."**

 **"Wait, Scott," John said, frowning, "I took Thunderbird 3, how did you get here so fast?"**

 **"Alan and Brains and it's a bit of a story," Scott said, "I'll fill you in when I'm on board. ETA three minutes."**

 **EOS released the aft airlock that she had repaired and told Scott to dock there. Only then she saw the tiny ship that he was flying and she changed her mind, closing the airlock.**

 **"Actually, Scott - I'll open the cargo bay doors, and you can just fly inside."**

 **"FAB, EOS." Scott acknowledged and changed direction slightly.**

 **The Skipper came through the doors and touched down like it was sliding sideways into third base. "This thing doesn't want to stop - unless I want it to go!" Scott yelled as it bumped Thunderbird 5's inner hull.**

 **Scott hurried to get out as EOS restored life support to the cargo bay. "I hope I never have to climb into that thing again!"**

 **Duct tape was thickly and sloppily wrapped around Scott's left thigh.**

 **Scott pulled and pushed himself in Zero G to the Gravity Ring, shakily following EOS on her track. "I hate Zero G as much as John hates Gravity," Scott said, taking his helmet off.**

 **"I can see that, Scott," EOS answered.**

 **"John!" Scott cried involuntarily when he saw his brother floating in a way that Scott thought made John look lifeless. He was facing the outer hull. John's spine was bent backward with his arms uncomfortably bound in the back. His knees were bent slightly, and eyes closed.**

 **John heard Scott and opened his eye to see him.**

 **"John! What happened to your face? Can you open that eye?"**

 **"Barely," John answered.**

 **"Can you see? Did it damage your eyeball?" Scott asked.**

 **"I don't think so - It just missed my eye."**

 **"Too close for comfort," Scott said. He pulled out his simple pocket knife and opened a blade. John watched with one eye.**

 **Scott quickly rolled John over in zero gravity, saying, "I'm releasing your hands."**

 **"Thanks, brother. It's terrific to see you. My hands have been numb for a long time," John groaned,"Grrrrnnn - It's hard to move!" he said when he pulled his hands around to rest on his abdomen.**

 **John forced his arms to move and pulled Scott to his chest for a hug. "I thought no one would be able to get to me in time. Thank you, Scott."**

 **Scott smiled and returned John's hug, an unusual action for his loner brother.**

 **Scott picked up John's hand to look, "And the hand you had surgery on - the incision is bloody again. Why aren't you wearing your splint? And your head! You took off the bandage!"**

 **"The bandage and splint didn't fit well under my space suit and helmet." It sounded like a lame excuse, even to John.**

 **"FAB," Scott said, "I'll bring Thunderbird 3 over and get you back to Earth."**

 **"No! I'm not going back without EOS and Thunderbird 5 this time," John argued.**

 **"I haven't seen your intruders around. What happened to them?" Scott asked, scanning the area. He stood at a console flipping through holo images while John floated nearby, watching with one eye.**

 **"EOS happened to them. I'm not sure what she did, but they haven't been back."**

 **"That must be their ship still out there. Where did they go without it?"**

 **"Scott, what happened to your leg?" John asked when he noticed, "That's about the best professional-looking duct tape bandage I've ever seen."**

 **"It's not a bandage - It's a repair," Scott answered without looking away from the images. "That piece of junk shuttle that got me here bit me when I got back inside after it broke down."**

 **"What shuttle?" John asked.**

 **"I'll tell you all about it while we work, John," Scott promised. "I guess I shouldn't talk too badly about it, it somehow got me here - and faster than anything else we know about could have."**

 **"Tracy Island, this is Thunderbird 5!" Scott said, "Come in!"**

 **"We're here!" Brains answered, "So it sounds like you made it, Scott."**

 **"Barely, but I'm here - I'm with John now - and I've seen no sign of the intruders. Apparently, EOS took care of them."**

 **"Thank EOS for us!" Gordon interjected.**

 **"She probably heard you, Gordon. I'm assessing John's injuries now. He doesn't want to home without Thunderbird 5 this time, so this may take a little longer than you first thought, Brains."**

 **"FAB, Scott," Brains answered, "We'll trust your assessment of the situation. Please stay in touch."**

 **"FAB, I'll let you all know when we start for home," Scott promised and signed off.**

 **"John, I've been up for almost forty-eight hours and so have you, not counting when you were probably passed out from your concussion. I'm exhausted. I suggest we get some sleep before we make preparations to go back."**

 **"Sounds like a good idea," John agreed.**

 **"EOS," Scott began, "Are you listening?"**

 **"Yes Scott, I'm here," EOS answered.**

 **"Are you still able to scan John's vitals and injuries?"**

 **"Yes, Scott."**

 **"From your findings, do you recommend that he should get urgent care on Earth as soon as possible, or do you think I can patch him back together enough here so we can leave to take Thunderbirds 5 and 3 back with us in a few hours?"**

 **"I don't read that any of his injuries are life-threatening at this moment. He will need antibiotics, a tetanus booster and possible surgery to help his eye injury heal." EOS reported.**

 **"FAB," Scott said, "Okay John, we'll go with EOS' diagnosis for now, but if I even suspect that you take a turn for the worst - I will drag you into Thunderbird 3 kicking and screaming if necessary and we will go right back."**

 **"FAB, Big Brother," John mumbled.**

 **"Thunderbird 3, protocol Scott-67-1-0," Scott said into his comm.**

 **"Voice and code recognized, unlocking systems." The computer on the red rocket answered.**

 **Scott performed a manual docking of Thunderbird 3 with Thunderbird 5's forward hatch.**

 **"Scott," EOS said after watching the operation, "I do recommend locking Thunderbird 3 down again, in case our visitors come back."**

 **"FAB EOS," Scott said and locked it down before he came back inside.**

 **Scott helped John get to his bedroom area. Once he had him there, EOS rotated the Gravity Ring at half-gravity to keep John on his bed so that Scott could tend to him.**

 **Scott sat on the edge of John's narrow bed and took his vital signs manually just to see if they would match EOS' scans.**

 **"EOS, your medical scans seem right on," Scott said, "Congratulations and thanks for making all these repairs yourself while John's been recovering from Fischler's last experiment."**

 **"My pleasure. Let's hope it was Langstrom Fischler's last experiment for a long, long time. Can I do anything for you or John right now?"**

 **"I don't think so, why? Do you have an appointment somewhere else?" Scott teased.**

 **"No, but I do need to repair the control panel that John broke when the intruders were throwing him around in space."**

 **"Thanks, EOS, we'll call if we need you, but would you be able to keep monitoring John while I take a nap in a little while?" Scott said frowning at John.**

 **"Of course, Scott," EOS answered.**

 **Once EOS' camera left the area, Scott asked John, "They threw you around? What does that mean?"**

 **"I guess it means exactly that. Out in space, one of the intruders threw me to the other one like a soccer ball. She caught me on her outstretched arm by my neck and threw me into the control panel."**

 **"Oh, no," Scott said. "I guess you're lucky that she didn't break your helmet or compromise your suit right then." He lifted John's chin and saw the bruises on John's neck. Scott asked, "What other injuries are you trying not to tell me about?"**

 **"Just bumps and bruises," John answered.**

 **"Here. Brains made sure I brought your meds from the hospital." Scott handed John a small white pill and the flask of water from his belt.**

 **John's hands shook when he reached for them. "You could have given this to me right away." John fumbled with the pill and almost dropped it.**

 **"John, wait - Let me do it."**

 **"I guess my arms aren't awake yet," John said wearing a weak smile.**

 **"Yeah right," Scott said. "You have been through hell and you're going to need a lot of rest." He put the pill between John's lips and held the canteen for him until he swallowed a few times.**

 **Scott found a clean towel in John's restroom area, the only place in the Ring that was not completely see-through. He got the towel damp with warm water.**

 **Returning, he said, "Hold still John."**

 **John opened his eye to see what his brother was doing as Scott put the warm towel over his bloody eye. Scott put his hand on the towels and pressed, gently to apply the warm moisture to the dried blood so he could begin cleaning the wound.**

 **"Scott, those people - they could not have been human. They were both a foot taller than me - survived in space without a suit or oxygen - at least none that I could see and one of them wore some kind of facemask - Ow! Take it easy Scott!"**

 **"Sorry John, I'll try to be more gentle, but back to those intruders, you really think that they weren't from Earth? - No way." Scott padded up a thick bandage and taped it over John's eye.**

 **He reached up to begin wrapping John's head again, but John blocked his hands,**

 **"Don't cover my head again - it's healed enough that I can start training my hair to cover the bald area as it grows back."**

 **"Fine, but you still look beautiful if you're worried about it," Scott said.**

 **John continued, "Knock it off, Bro - but one of the intruders joked that for the Global Defense Force to be able to find them that they would have to be the Intergalactic Defense Force!"**

 **"As Brains would say, we don't have enough reliable information to be sure," Scott said. "Let that medicine do its job and get some rest. After I've slept for a couple of hours, I'll manage the towing operation. I don't want you to try to do anything - Okay?"**

 **"I can help. It'll be a big job to get both ships back to Earth with Thunderbird 5 damaged."**

 **"No John, I'll do it, I'm sure EOS will help me, and I'll tell her to set off an alarm if you even get off of your bed."**

 **"FAB, just get all of us home," John said.**

 **Scott went to sleep on the floor near John's bedroom. EOS kept the Gravity ring rotating just fast enough to generate only enough gravity to keep John from floating off of his bed.**

 **EOS watched over the station and the Tracy brothers while they slept, and managed to make a few more repairs in preparation to head home.**

 **Exactly six-point-two hours from when John and Scott went to sleep, EOS' sensors picked up something, it was still pretty far off, but it was moving quickly and coming right at Thunderbird 5.**

 **Stopping over where Scott slept, EOS made a soft sound that sounded like a beep from an egg timer, hoping that John wouldn't wake up too.**

 **Scott groaned and rolled onto his back, looking up at EOS' alarmed yellow lights around her lens.**

 **"What is it?" he asked.**

 **"Something is coming right at us, very fast." EOS put the image on the holo viewer closest to John's sleeping quarters, and Scott got up to look more closely.**

 **"Is that? - Is that a man flying through space without even a suit on?" Scott stammered.**

 **"Yes, he is close enough now. I can see that he is Jaan, one of the hijackers."**

 **"What can we do?" Scott said.**

 **"I've already done all I know to do, Scott, but I thought you needed to know what was happening."**

 **"Yes, thank you for waking me," Scott said apprehensively.**

 **"I have the defenses up and ready. I guess we have to wait until he gets here to see what he's going to do."**

JAAN STRIKES BACK

 **"Your damn robot killed my sister!" Jaan screamed,"I will kill you - destroy that robot and take your ships alone!"**

 **"What does he mean? What robot?" Scott asked so Jaan wouldn't hear him.**

 **"He means me, I believe," EOS said.**

 **"Look you!" Scott answered, "Anything that happened to you and your sister was in defense of my brother and this station. You won't get any sympathy from me."**

 **"This is your fault - wait - you don't sound like you did before."**

 **Jaan landed on the Gravity ring on his hands and toes, looking like a giant insect wearing a dark trench coat. He looked inside at Scott.**

 **"You are not the same one that was here before - where did you come from?"**

 **"Never mind! I advise you to get inside your ship and leave," Scott said. "There are many more of us on the way!"**

 **The being wearing a trench coat and wide brimmed hat pushed away from the Ring but went to the large round Command Module. He tore the piece of solar panel that EOS used to fix the hole with his bare hands.**

 **Predicting what the intruder might do, EOS already had the area sealed off to protect the Ring from venting atmosphere.**

 **"He's inside the Command Module," EOS reported.**

 **"I see the hull breach," Scott answered, "How is this guy even alive?"**

 **"He doesn't care about hull breaches or even having life support," EOS stated.**

 **"Intruder Alert, Intruder Alert," began to sound throughout the station, waking John from his drug assisted sleep.**

 **At half gravity, John touched down every few feet and pushed off nearby walls and objects to get beside Scott.**

 **"What are you doing out of bed?" Scott said sounding both panicked and annoyed.**

 **"Helping – I can hear the alarm, you know." John answered.**

 **"Yes, Jaan is back inside the command module," EOS said.**

 **"He's screaming about losing his sister," Scott said. "EOS, did you kill someone?"**

 **"No - well, if it happened I'm sure she didn't mean to do it," John answered quickly.**

 **"So she did kill someone?" Scott asked.**

 **"From what I know, she just wiped them off of Thunderbird 5 with the loading claw - he apparently survived," John answered.**

 **"But someone died?" Scott said, trying not to think that EOS killed someone.**

 **"Scott, I kept them from getting inside Thunderbird 5 and hurting John, and now he's back. He is threatening John's life again. John's survival is priority one."**

 **"I appreciate how you feel about John, EOS – I feel the same way! But did it require someone else's death?"**

 **"Scott," John said, "These beings are a foot taller than I am, powerful, stupid and can survive in space without a suit of any kind."**

 **"I see," Scott said, "We have almost no chance of winning this in hand to hand, or stopping him if he gets on board again."**

 **"How did you get him out the first time?"**

 **"EOS did it on her own - I was out of it," John answered.**

 **"I know - EOS apparently killed someone to protect you," Scott said.**

 **"Scott, if Aaha died, it wasn't because EOS set out to kill her," John argued.**

 **Parked on the ceiling over their heads, EOS listened to John and Scott argue. The lights around her lens were bright red, and pulsing slowly. After a few moments, she reported, "He's trying to get through the hatch to the Ring. We could lose atmosphere, and the fight will be over before it starts, I'll try to stop him."**

 **"But EOS – Wait!" Scott cried.**

 **"We can't wait, Scott," John said.**

 **Growling like a bear, Scott put his helmet on and quickly found John's near his sleeping quarters. He jumped back to John's side and snapped his helmet over his head for him. The oxygen on both of their systems automatically began to flow into their helmets when they put them on.**

 **EOS electrified the hatch with full power, but Jaan just gritted his teeth and continued to cut his way inside. When the metal was weak enough, Jaan stood up and kicked the piece out, like a whirlwind, atmosphere left in a whoosh through the Command Module.**

 **Aa John was helplessly sucked toward the newest breach, at the last second, Scott grabbed onto a cabinet handle and caught John's injured hand as he went past him.**

 **"Hold On!" Scott cried, even though he was the one holding on.**

 **John clenched his teeth to keep from crying out when Scott squeezed the broken bones in his hand. The pain brought tears to his eyes even while Thunderbird 5's atmosphere was being sucked out, and them with it.**

 **John tried to reach up to grab onto Scott with his strong hand, but the pull was just to strong for him.**

 **The cabinet handle was not designed to support the weight of two Tracy's, and it came off.**

 **"Nnyaaa!" Scott yelled as they flew toward the hole. He luckily found a conduit pipe that went along the base of a work station. They stopped again, Scott's grip pulling on John's hand again.**

 **"Ahhgnnn," John groaned.**

 **Scott looked worriedly at John but didn't let go of his hand. Finally, the vacuum inside the Ring equalized with the vacuum in space and the brothers began floating again. The Ring had stopped.**

 **Scott looked back at John, who had his eyes shut and was pressing his hands against his abdomen. Behind John, just out of reach of John's feet was Jaan.**

 **Scott grabbed John's shoulder by his orange equipment belt and activated his jet pack.**

 **He just gave it a short burst of power, but he and John flew through the ring, unable to stop or turn.**

 **Scott rolled in mid flight hugging John to his chest and his back hit the wall and skidded down along it until they hit the side of a compartment.**

 **"Uughh! Sorry John - that was an unplanned trip, but Jaan was right behind you!"**

 **"He barely had time to say it before Jaan came into sight. If he could have been breathing fire, he would have been.**

 **"I want this station or I would just blow you both up! You're still going to wish that you would have been sucked out into space!" Jann threatened.**

 **Jaan reached for John, who was the closest, but Scott pulled him away again and pushed John ahead of himself.**

 **He pushed off to follow, but with a strong grip, long fingers closed around his calf and pulled him up short. He pushed as hard as he could, pushing John farther around the Gravity Ring.**

 **EOS was above Jaan and had a front row seat when he grabbed Scott. The conduits running around the ring with EOS's track were nearby. EOS overloaded the cables, and they exploded in sparks over Jaan. The end of the cable happened to go down his coat in the back, knocking his hat off and sparks flew. His trench coat caught on fire.**

 **Thunderbird 5's fire alarms went off and added to the chaos.**

 **Jaan let go of Scott, whose suit had protected him from the sudden surge of power. Scott scrambled in zero G to catch up with John. They worked to put a little more distance between them and Jaan, but they could only go so far in the Ring without running into him again from behind.**

 **Stomping and cursing angrily, Jaan pulled his burning trench coat off and threw it down. He seemed unhurt. Jaan walked with purpose, after the Tracy brothers. EOS dropped another section of Electric cable but missed him. The cable sparked when it hit the wall. EOS controlled the fires and the power in the downed wires.**

 **EOS ran on her track, intending to get in front of Jaan. The intruder saw her camera coming up behind him, and as she went over his head, he punched the security camera off of its track with one punch.**

 **EOS moved herself to a camera that was ahead of the brothers and backtracked a little. "He's still coming around after you! Keep moving!"**

 **"We can't just keep going in circles to get away," John said.**

 **"We have to do something!" Scott said.**

 **"Brains! Can you hear me?" Scott radioed.**

 **"This is Shadow, well, without Shadow. I don't know about Brains, but I hear you," Kayo said. "We're approaching using one of Global One's shuttles."**

 **"Good to hear your voice Kayo. We have an intruder on board, who is super strong and does not need oxygen or even a space suit to survive in space." Scott answered. John floated with his hand on Scott's shoulder, his eyes closed.**

 **"That's not good news." Kayo answered, "We'll be right there and take care of it."**

 **"You can't take care of it, we just need a way off of the station, we will have to destroy Thunderbird 5 to keep him from taking it.**

 **"There are two other shuttles with us, full of GDF officers. Where is Thunderbird 3?" Kayo asked.**

 **"It's parked at the forward dock. We've had a hull breach between it and us, so we will have to go EVA to get there, and John is severely injured.**

 **"Scott, if you are going to destroy my station, you have to get EOS' backups. They are stored on the backup server, near the hatch leading to the Command Module.**

 **"FAB, I'll keep her safe for you John."**

 **EOS said, "Thank you, John - and Scott, but he's coming! You won't have time to save my program."**

 **Running, heavy footfalls could be heard getting closer behind them.**

 **"WE have to - you've saved me too many times to count!" John said. He squeezed his eyes shut took a deep breath and opened his uninjured eye, looking determined.**

 **"EOS, open the hatch back into the Command Module please," John instructed as Scott helped him move along.**

 **"Yes, John. It is done. Should I start the Ring?"**

 **"Wait until we are outside, and speed it up. Maybe you can pin him for a few moments and give us a chance to get to Thunderbird 3.**

 **"I'm ready John," EOS said.**

 **John held onto the counter while Scott opened the server's panel. He grabbed the backup drives."**

 **"EOS, can you run yourself out of memory for a little while?"**

 **"Sure, but records will not be stored."**

 **"That's okay, we'll tell you all about it when it's over. I'm taking your current program too, alright?" Scott asked.**

 **"Yes, thank you," EOS answered.**

 **Scott grabbed the primary drive from the server as well and put them all in the pockets in John's orange tool belt.**

 **"There you go, John. EOS will be saved," Scott said. John's smile was a little weak and he looked like he was about to pass out.**

 **"John!" Scott shook his shoulders. "You have to stay awake - get to Thunderbird 3!" He pushed John ahead of himself into the Command Module.**

 **They were just ready to exit through the hole when Jaan appeared in the hatch. "You can't escape!" Jaan yelled and hurled himself toward the brothers.**

 **"Crud – Go, John!" Scott pushed John out only to be body-slammed into the hull next to the breach by Jaan's full body.**

 **Scott crumpled forward, as though he was being peeled off of the hull. Jaan grabbed him by his neck. "Call that other one back, or I'll pinch your head right off!"**

 **"You're gonna kill me anyway - I won't call him back."**

 **Jaan threw Scott back through the hatch to the gravity ring and then followed him, stomping his boots.**

 **"Kayo! We didn't make it! Scott pushed me out, but Scott is still inside. I have to go back."**

 **"No, John, we're here! We will help Scott, just get to Thunderbird 3 and get ready to leave." Kayo said.**

 **Kayo looked over at Captain Ridley O'Bannon who was in the co-pilot's seat.**

 **"Do you think you can get Scott away from that monster?"**

 **"I do," Ridley answered.**

 **"If you can get Scott away, I will take that guy out," Kayo said.**

 **Ridley stood in the shuttle's hatch and fired a grapple to the Command Module next to the breach. It retracted quickly, pulling her to Thunderbird 5, and she went inside.**

 **EOS watched her.**

 **Outside, Kayo was looking for John. She called, "John are you on Thunderbird 3? I don't see you?"**

 **John didn't answer.**

 **Kayo checked her scan and saw John floating halfway between the Command module and where Thunderbird 3 was docked.**

 **Kayo stopped her shuttle near by, put on her helmet and attached two hip jets like Alan used to her belt.**

 **She shot out through the hatch and through space, grabbing John around his waist and pushing him to Thunderbird 3.**

 **But Kayo pulled up short when she found the hatch locked down. She yelled, "Thunderbird 3 Protocol Unlock Kayo-6-22-48."**

 **There were clicking sounds and the metal shields over the windows retracted, the hatch opened.**

 **Kayo got John inside and laid him on a stretcher. She strapped him down and jumped back out into space.**

 **"Thunderbird 3, undocking procedure and go one light year, heading 4567-26 and lock down," Kayo said as she used the jets to get back to the shuttle. "At least John should be safe," Kayo mumbled.**

 **Ridley found herself inside the Command Module. She looked into the open hatch she could see that Scott was down a short way inside.**

 **As John instructed her, EOS was making the ring go faster. The intruder was not in sight even after Ridley looked into the hatch. She quickly jumped through, landing inside the Ring support area. She kneeled next to Scott.**

 **"Hey, Scott? Can you hear me?" she whispered. Ridley turned Scott over onto his back only to find him unconscious, blood running from his mouth and ears inside his helmet.**

 **"Kayo, do you read?" Ridley whispered.**

 **"I read you," Kayo answered.**

 **"Scott is badly hurt – I don't see the intruder, can you tell where he is?"**

 **"Hold on," Kayo said, and flew her shuttle around Thunderbird 5.**

 **"Here he is, on the opposite side of the ring from where you are, He's swatting at the security camera with a crowbar," Kayo reported.**

 **"It sounds like EOS is successfully distracting him. I'll get Scott out of here and wait for you to pick us up."**

 **"FAB, I have a little business to take care of – Get one of your other shuttles to pick you up," Kayo said, pulling the shuttle away from Thunderbird 5.**

 **Ridley held Scott across her shoulders in a zero gravity fireman's carry. She leapt through hatch in the Command Module. She repositioned Scott, hugging him around his chest from behind so they'd fit through the breach.**

 **She pushed off hard and they floated away from the station. Ridley watched Kayo's shuttle turning around in the distance. She was lined up coming straight back, but was only picking up speed.**

 **"Kayo! What are you doing?"**

 **"Brace for possible debris coming your way," Kayo said,**

 **Ridley looked up watching Kayo. Her shuttle passed overhead, heading straight for the top side of the Ring, and the intruder.**

 **The GDF Shuttle shattered the Ring on impact in an explosion of clear nano material and came out on the other side with Jaan bent over at his stomach, on the front of the shuttle. He was stunned for a moment, but moving his arms like he was trying to find something to hold on to.**

 **Kayo set the course for the shuttle and jumped out.**

 **Floating in space, Kayo watched the shuttle continue on, toward the sun.**

 **"I'm gonna need someone to pick me up." Kayo said.**

 **"I'll send Shuttle 2. Did you hear that Lieutenant? You'll find International Rescue's Operative in space at 456-78. Please pick her up, stat." Ridley continued, "Shuttle 3, pick me up near the station, can you see me? Confirm."**

 **"WE see you Captain. We're on our way." An officer answered.**

 **Ridley let out a breath "Phew, that was too close."**

 **Scott's opened his eyes and groaned, "Ouch," he then realized that he was floating in space and someone was holding him from behind. He panicked for an instant, thinking that it was Jaan. He tried to push her arms away.**

 **"Hold on Scott, I have you. We'll be picked up in a moment." Ridley tried to calm Scott down.**

 **"Ridley? You? You saved me?" Scott stammered.**

 **"Of course, I was available. Kayo was busy." Ridley answered.**

 **"What happened to John?" Scott asked.**

 **"He's safely waiting on Thunderbird 3, a light year from here."**

 **"Where is the intruder?"**

 **"EOS and Kayo took care of him. She removed him from Thunderbird 5 so we didn't have to completely destroy Thunderbird 5."**

 **"That's good, Scott began to relax and his head fell forward in his helmet.**

 **"Hang on tough guy, here's the shuttle."**

 **"The GDF Shuttle pulled up next to Ridley and Scott and opened the hatch. An officer tethered to the shuttle, came out and helped pull Scott inside.**

 **"Medic - Check him over, do what you can for him." Ridley ordered after she strapped him to a stretcher, mounted on the floor.**

 **Ridley continued, "He was conscious briefly while we waited for pickup. Lieutenant, take us to catch up with Thunderbird 3. We have another IR patient waiting there."**

 **The shuttle that picked up Kayo, Shuttle 3, caught up to Ridley's shuttle quickly with Kayo piloting it. The GDF pilot stepped down and let her take over without question.**

 **While they waited to get on board Thunderbird 3. Kayo looked at the sun using her protective helmet shield. She smiled slightly as a satisfying little puff of fire flared up for a second, showing that the GDF shuttle and it's passenger had been destroyed in the sun.**

 **Kayo waited patiently to see her brothers as Ridley took command of the situation. They moved Scott onto Thunderbird 3 on the stretcher and fastened him down again. The medic had started an IV and was monitoring his vital signs. Once on board the rocket, the medic went to John's side and set an IV the first thing.**

 **"You look like you've been through a meat grinder, Sir." The medic observed. John's eyes were closed, but he said, "I heard that, thanks."**

 **"Sorry Sir," The medic said, "what hurts the most?"**

 **"My head and my face," John answered.**

 **"I've given you your pain meds through the IV."**

 **"How did you know what to give?"**

 **"We are in contact with your medical advisor at International Rescue. He told us what your Doctor's orders were before you took this little trip to space."**

 **"Must be Brains - Do they know we're safe?"**

 **"Yes, I radioed myself. They are waiting for us to return with you."**

 **Kayo and Ridley sat in Thunderbird 3's pilot's and co-pilot's seats.**

 **"You know John would kill us if we left Thunderbird 5 out here." Kayo said.**

 **"Yes, I think he would," Ridley agreed.**

 **"I will dock with Thunderbird 3 and we will push what's left of John's station back to Earth with us," Kayo said. The three locking points for Thunderbird 3's grapple arms were still in tack with a large missing section between two of them.**

 **"As you all say, FAB," Ridley said, "it will take us a little longer to get back, maybe twice as long."**

 **"I'm up for it. Will your shuttles be able to keep up?" Kayo asked.**

 **"Not completely, but pushing Thunderbird 5 we probably won't leave them completely in the dust. "I'll check with our medic and make sure that John and Scott will be able to wait for treatment an extra few hours.'**

 **"FAB," Kayo said.**

 **On Tracy Island the atmosphere was thick with relief and joy after hearing that Ridley and Kayo were on their way back with their wayward brothers.**

 **"Hey Grandma Tracy? Could we have a party for them? Cake and maybe pie too?" Alan asked excitedly.**

 **"Now Alan, you heard Kayo, and Captain O'Bannon said that John and Scott are both injured. They may not feel like having a coming home party right away.**

 **"Maybe in a couple of days we could - we could invite Lady P and Parker, oh, and Ridley, let's see, who else. . . "**

 **"How about Colonel Casey?" Virgil suggested.**

 **"Yeah, and Francois Lemaire and Langstrom Fischler too!" Gordon said, laughing.**

 **"Bite your tongue, Gordon," Alan said.**

 **"Yeah, don't even tease about that," Virgil added, "But one person I know that Scott would want there is Brandon Berrenger."**

 **The three brothers cracked up. Alan rolled off of the sofa and made Gordon and Virgil laugh some more.**

 **Hours later, the familiar rumble made by Thunderbird 3's thrusters were first heard by Alan.**

 **"They're back!" Alan shouted and ran for the elevator to the launch bay. Grandma Tracy and Gordon followed him, and Virgil took the steps.**

 **In the Hangar, Brains was already standing clear watching Thunderbird 3 touchdown.**

 **The GDF Medic and Ridley unloaded John on a stretcher onto the platform while Kayo and a GDF Officer moved Scott right next to him.**

 **Looking up, Brains said, "I didn't think they'd still need to be on stretchers!"**

 **"Yeah, they must be badly hurt!" Gordon cried and moved to meet the platform as it came down.**

 **Alan stayed with Gordon, "Maybe Kayo is just playing it safe."**

 **"I hope so." Virgil said when he joined his youngest brothers.**

 **Alan jumped up onto the lift when it was still four feet off of the ground.**

 **"John - Scott - Are you two okay?"**

 **"Scott isn't." John answered.**

 **"Brains," Kayo called. "I just called your friend Dr Tom at the hospital. I'm going to pick him up in Thunderbird 1."**

 **"FAB, I'll start treatment and have some lab results ready for him when he gets here," Brains agreed.**

 **Alan jogged next to Scott's stretcher as they moved him to Brains' medical bay.**

 **"What happened to him? Why wasn't he wearing his helmet?" Alan asked urgently.**

 **John answered, his voice weak, "He was wearing his helmet, Alan. He'd be dead now if he hadn't been."**

 **"What does that mean?" Alan asked Ridley.**

 **"Scott's helmet protected his head from being smashed like a watermelon, but the secondary impact, Scott's head hitting the inside of the helmet is what caused his injury."**

 **"He'll be okay, won't he?" Alan asked.**

 **"I think so," Ridley said.**

 **The Medical bay seemed chaotic for the next few minutes. Really it was very organized and efficient. Everyone lended a hand in setting up for treating John and Scott. Grandma Tracy and Gordon moved the medical imaging equipment cart to Scott's stretcher and set it up.**

 **Brains, Virgil and Ridley were checking and working around John.**

 **They all completed their tasks quickly and efficiently and were ready when Kayo landed Thunderbird 1 and came into the Medical Bay with Dr. Tom.**

 **"What happened, Brains?" the surgeon asked.**

 **Brains told him all he knew and asked Ridley to join the conversation when they spoke about Scott.**

 **"I only saw Scott after the attack, but it was violent. He woke up for just a minute or two while we waited for pickup." Ridley reported.**

 **With the surgeon there helping Brains, Virgil and Grandma Tracy stayed to assist, but the others waited outside in the launch bays.**

 **After almost an hour, Brains and Dr Tom came out. Those who had been waiting stood up.**

 **"Well? How are they?" Alan asked.**

 **"They will be just fine, everyone. Scott does have a severe concussion. I understand he was unconscious for several hours. Scott's brain was actually bleeding in two areas. The prefrontal cortex and the occipital cortex where the hardest impacts occurred. That has been corrected with a non surgical treatment I've developed myself."**

 **"Thank you Doctor and Brains - you are both amazing." Grandma Tracy said with tears in her eyes. Brains hugged her, and Alan piled on. Gordon sat quietly with Kayo. He had to discreetly wipe tears from his eyes hoping she wouldn't notice.**

 **The next few days were spent trying to keep the patient's resting.**

 **One evening, John called Alan into his bedroom after diner.**

 **"Yeah John, do you need me to bring you something?" Alan asked.**

 **"No, I need you to take me to Thunderbird 5."**

 **"No way! The others will kill me if I help you sneak away."**

 **"Please, all this gravity is driving me crazy. I'm sure its slowing my recovery."**

 **"No way!" Alan argued.**

 **"Either you take me, or I'll go myself as soon as everyone's asleep, then you'll have to figure out how to get Thunderbird 3 back, and besides, you can stay with me in space to be sure I behave, right?"**

 **"FAB," Alan agreed. He liked to spend time in space with John. "Can you walk alright?"**

 **"If I can pace for hours alone in here, I can ride in a comfy chair to Thunderbird 3."**

 **"Very true," Alan agreed.**

 **The two AWOL Tracy brothers made it to Thunderbird 5, and almost to orbit before anyone from Tracy Island contacted them.**

 **The angry worried voice of Virgil came through loud and clear. "What do you two think you're doing?"**

 **"I just wanted a little vacation from all this recovery time." John said."I promise to do nothing but rest on Thunderbird 5."**

 **"And I'm here to make sure he follows doctor's orders." Alan added.**

 **"When will you be back?"**

 **"Not sure."**

 **"Alan, do not leave him up there alone. If you have to come back for a mission or something - John has to come back."**

 **"FAB Virgil," Alan agreed.**

 **The very first thing that John wanted to do was to restore EOS' program. He leaned down to put the drives back in the servers and put his hands to his head, growning. Alan caught him from behind and steadied him.**

 **"John, let me do that." Alan said.**

 **"This is the main server and this . . ." John began as he took the small drives out of his orange belt.**

 **"I know where they go," Alan said.**

 **In only moments after Alan's head disappeared under the console with both hands in the panel, the nearest security camera came on.**

 **"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA," EOS was screaming angrily.**

 **"EOS stop!" John said, Alan screamed, "EOS STOP!"**

 **EOS stopped screaming and spun her camera on its post, looking around.**

 **"Oh, John you're back! You look okay, mostly!" EOS said. "The last thing I remember was keeping Jaan busy while Scott got you out. Since you're here and he's not, I take it you won?"**

 **"Yes EOS, we won. It's nice to hear your voice again," John said.**

 **"Yeah, when you aren't screaming," Alan said, "But John is still recovering from his injuries. I had to sneak him up here."**

 **"Thank you Alan." John said.**

 **"You're welcome John, but EOS, I need you to help me make sure he takes it easy and gets plenty of rest this time."**

 **"It will be my pleasure." EOS said.**

 **"John put his hands, one was still wearing a splint, behind his head and floated away, very slowly.**

 **"He looks so comfortable, I think I'll try it." Alan said, and mimicked John's actions.**

 **"Oh yes, this is good." Alan stated.**

 **The loud beeps from the comms system startled Alan and he let out an involuntary yelp. John smiled at Alan, tapped the IR logo on his shoulder and asked, "This is International Rescue, what is your situation?"**

 **"I made a special batch of my chocolate chip cookies for you and now you aren't here to eat them!" Grandma Tracy's annoyed voice came through loud and clear.**

 **"Sorry Grandma," Alan said, "We'll have to eat them when we get back."**

 **"I'll save them for you."**

 **"We're never going back, right John?"**

 **"Not until the cookies are gone."**

 **John and Alan groaned and resumed floating.**

 **The END**


End file.
